Department for Transport

Docklands Light Railway

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Transport for London on whether new trains for the Docklands Light Railway are built in the UK.

Jesse Norman: Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and delivered by Transport for London (TfL). Any discussions about the operation of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) will be a matter between TfL and Docklands Light Railway Limited, the operator of the DLR. Ministers have not had any discussions with TfL about the procurement of new trains for the DLR.

Transport

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve transport links between inner cities and suburban towns.

Jesse Norman: The Government has announced a £1.7 billion Transforming Cities Fund to improve intra-urban connectivity within English city regions and boost productivity. Half of the fund will be allocated to the six mayoral combined authorities on a per capita basis, with the remainder allocated by competition.

Public Transport: Rural Areas

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to support elderly people in rural areas who rely on public transport when they can no longer drive a car.

Jesse Norman: Local transport policy is ultimately a matter for local authorities. Government recognises that local buses are the most commonly used mode of public transport, particularly for older people; and therefore provides for free local bus travel across England to ensure that no older person in England needs to be prevented from bus travel by cost alone. The Government also funds the thirteen Mobility Centres of England, which support elderly people to keep driving safely or retain mobility. There are also 44 outreach centres. The Government published its draft Accessibility Action Plan in August for public consultation, which includes a commitment by the Mobility Centres to extend their range of services by creating community ‘hubs’ of knowledge and services that provide advice on how to use public transport in the local area and on disability rail cards, as well as developing dedicated advice staff. The Department will publish its Final Accessibility Action Plan in 2018, following consideration of consultation feedback.

Offshore Industry: Helicopters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment the effect of the Civil Aviation Authority’s review of offshore helicopter safety CAP1145, published 20 February 2014, on offshore workers’ confidence in commercial helicopter transport in the North Sea.

Mr John Hayes: The review resulted in a number of wide ranging recommendations and actions and resulted in significant changes in safety that were introduced as quickly as possible and welcomed by everyone involved. The Civil Aviation Authority will continue to work with the helicopter operators, the offshore industries, international regulators, unions and pilot representatives to enhance offshore safety standards still further.

Offshore Industry: Helicopters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the levels of confidence of offshore workers’ in the safety of commercial helicopter transport in the North Sea oil and gas industry.

Mr John Hayes: The safety of those who travel on offshore helicopter flights is a key priority. That's why in 2014 the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) launched a comprehensive review of offshore helicopter flying, resulting in significant changes in safety that were introduced as quickly as possible and welcomed by everyone involved. The Department for Transport and the CAA will continue to work with the helicopter operators, the offshore industries, international regulators, unions and pilot representatives to enhance offshore safety standards still further.

Offshore Industry: Helicopters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to improve offshore workers’ confidence in the safety of commercial helicopter transport in the North Sea oil and gas industry.

Mr John Hayes: In 2014 the CAA published a comprehensive strategic safety review of offshore public transport helicopter operations in support of the exploitation of oil and gas. Following this review the CAA announced a series of measures to increase the safety of offshore helicopter flights. These measures included: Prohibiting helicopter flights in the most severe sea conditions, so that the chance of a ditched helicopter capsizing is reduced and a rescue can be safely undertaken.Pending further safety improvements to helicopters, passengers will only be able to fly if they are seated next to an emergency window exit to make it easier to get out of a helicopter in an emergency (unless helicopters are fitted with extra flotation devices or passengers are provided with better emergency breathing systems).Requiring all passengers to have better emergency breathing equipment to increase underwater survival time unless the helicopter is equipped with side floats. Following the fatal accident of a H225 helicopter in Norway in April 2016, two helicopter types, popularly known as Super Pumas, were restricted from being used commercially by UK and Norwegian operators. The restrictions have been lifted after receiving extensive information from the Norwegian accident investigators and being satisfied with the subsequent changes introduced by Airbus Helicopters through detailed assessment and analysis. The CAA would not have made this decision unless they were convinced that the changes to the helicopters and their maintenance restore the required airworthiness standards. The CAA continues to work with the helicopter operators, the offshore industries, international regulators, unions and pilot representatives to enhance offshore safety standards still further.

Roads: Horse Riding

James Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking better to protect horse riders on public highways; and if he will take steps to strengthen provisions within the Highway Code relating to how motorists should drive in the vicinity of horses.

Jesse Norman: The Department, through the THINK! Branded Road Safety Campaign, worked with the British Horse Society (BHS) to support its “Dead Slow” campaign to encourage car drivers to pass horses safely, and the ‘Horse Rider’ section on the THINK! Website has been updated to reflect the partnership with the BHS.On 4 July, there was a Westminster Hall Debate on: ‘the Safety of Riders and Horses on Rural Roads’, in which these issues were more fully debated.The driving theory test contains questions about how drivers should interact with vulnerable road users, including horse riders; and the hazard perception test includes a number of clips where horse riders are the hazard, either directly or indirectly.The Highway Code provides advice to motorists about vulnerable road users such as horse riders and Rule 215 provides advice specifically on passing horse riders safely.When the Department next reviews The Highway Code, any proposed changes will be subject to public consultation.

Electric Vehicles

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to the public purse has been to date of installing or subsidising (a) uni-directional and (b) bi-directional charge points for electric vehicles in the UK.

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the sum of money that will have been invested by 2025 on installing (a) uni-directional and (b) bi-directional charge points for electric vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) uni-directional and (b) bi-directional charge points for electric vehicles will be to be installed in the UK by 2025; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman: To date, the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) has provided more than £100 million to support the installation of uni-directional chargepoints. The Department has not made an estimation of the cost and the number of uni-directional chargepoints that will be installed in the UK by 2025. As announced at Budget 2017, a new £400m electric car Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (£200m new Government investment to be matched by private investors) will accelerate the roll-out of charging infrastructure by providing access to finance to companies that deliver chargepoints. The Government recognises that Vehicle to Grid (bi-directional) charging capability could become an important service for our energy system, but is still at a relatively early stage of development. OLEV and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are providing funding of £20 million for innovative projects that develop future Vehicle to Grid products, services and knowledge. The outcome of these projects will help inform future development of bi-directional charging.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of strategies other than those involving electric vehicles to decarbonise petrol vehicles before 2040.

Jesse Norman: The Government takes a technology neutral approach to decarbonising the transport sector and supports a wide range of alternative fuels. The Government’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) supports a market for renewable fuels, including bioethanol which is delivering greenhouse gas emissions reductions from fuel used in petrol vehicles. We are continuing to support the commercialisation of advanced biofuels by grant funding through an Advanced Biofuel Demonstration Competition. We have provided £5m to build or upgrade 12 hydrogen refuelling stations and £2m to assist fuel cell electric vehicles deployment in public and private sector fleets. This year we announced £23m of additional funding to increase the uptake of FCEVs alongside the expansion of hydrogen refueling infrastructure The Government has put in place fuel duty differentials to incentivise the uptake of gaseous road transport fuels. This includes Compressed Natural Gas, Liquefied Natural Gas and Liquefied Petroleum Gas. At the regional level EU legislation sets mandatory CO2 emission performance reduction targets for new cars and vans sold into the single market each year. It is for manufacturers to decide which technology is most appropriate to meet these targets. As we leave the EU, we will look for opportunities to strengthen further the controls on vehicle CO2 emissions and pursue an approach that is at least as ambitious as current arrangements.

Electric Vehicles

Iain Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to increase penalties for drivers of internal combustion engine vehicles who park in bays reserved for electric vehicle charging.

Jesse Norman: The Secretary of State is responsible for parking penalties outside London, where local authorities can already penalise the parking of vehicles in restricted places with penalties of up to £70. There are no plans to raise them at present.

Thameslink Railway Line

Sir Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the new Thameslink twice-hourly fast service from Maidstone East, Otford and Swanley has been postponed until December 2019.

Sir Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations his Department has made to Thameslink and Network Rail on the postponement of the new Thameslink service from Maidstone East, Otford and Swanley that was originally due from December 2018.

Sir Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how he plans to ensure that rail operators achieve the planned full capacity on Thameslink services from Maidstone East, Otford and Swanley.

Paul Maynard: Learning lessons from previous major changes and to enable the industry to reduce the risk of disruption to passengers from too much change on the network at any one time, the Secretary of State for Transport asked Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to propose options to reduce the risk of disruption to passengers from the introduction of the Thameslink timetable and operational changes. GTR’s proposal increases the number of services through central London more gradually than had been planned, beginning in May 2018 and ending in December 2019. The changes have been selected as the best option to benefit the most passengers across the wider south east network. The new Thameslink services from Maidstone East will now be delivered in December 2019.

Crossrail Line: Finance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (a) who will carry out and (b) by what date, the independent review of funding and financing for Crossrail 2 announced in Autumn Budget 2017.

Paul Maynard: The Government remains committed to Crossrail 2 which is why we see an independent review to examine the funding and financing options to pay for the scheme as a crucial next step to give the scheme the best chance of success. The Department is working with Transport for London and the Mayor of London to identify a suitably experienced individual to lead the review. We are also working with them to determine the precise timescales but we anticipate the review being in a position to deliver outputs next year. I will update the house when further details are available.

HM Coastguard: Staff

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what change there was in the number of people employed by the national network for HM Coastguard between January 2016 and July 2017?

Mr John Hayes: The number of people employed by Her Majesty’s Coastguard in the national network was 291 in January 2016 and 283 in July 2017. As of the end of Nov 2017 that number was 290. Eight more Coastguards have been recruited and they will join the national network between now and January 2018.

East Coast Rail Franchise

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in light of his announcement to truncate the East Coast Main Line franchise and change to a Public Private Partnership operation, (a) for how long he expects Virgin Trains East Coast to continue to pay premiums under the remainder of the truncated franchise arrangement and (b) what estimate he has made of the value of those premium payments in each remaining year of that arrangement.

Paul Maynard: We have set out our plans to end the operational divide between track and train, and from 2020 we intend to establish the East Coast Partnership, one of the first of a new generation of integrated regional rail operations. We intend to identify the private partner via a competitive process, and will include appropriate contributions paid from the partner to the government.

Home Office

Crimes of Violence: Females

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the amount of funding provided by any of the constituent organisations of the EU (a) to specialist violence against women and girls organisations and specialist women’s services and (b) for research relating to those issues.

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to provide funding equivalent to that currently provided by the EU for violence against women and girls organisations and specialist women’s services, and research relating to those issues after the UK leaves the EU.

Victoria Atkins: Protecting women and girls from violence and supporting victims is a key priority for this Government. To support the Government’s commitment to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), we have pledged increased funding of £100 million between now and 2020.As part of reviewing delivery against our cross-Government VAWG strategy, we are mapping provision of funding for services to identify areas for further action.We value the EU’s contribution to funding VAWG services. Our future cooperation with the EU will be subject to negotiation but we are fully committed to continue working with local commissioners to deliver a secure future for VAWG services.

Firearms: South East

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people born on 3 May 2000 or earlier are in possession of a firearms licence registered in (a) Woking, (b) Gosport, (c) Bromley or (d) Watford local authority who are aged (i) under 24, (ii) 25 to 49, (iii) 50 to 64 and (iv) 65 or older.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Home Office publishes information on Firearm certificate holders by age and police force within table E2 of the ‘Firearm and Shotgun Certificates in England and Wales Statistics - Financial Year 2016/17’ publication. This is available from the Home Office webpage on GOV.UK at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/624004/firearm-shotgun-certificates-england-wales-march-2017-tables.ods

Police: Finance

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the appropriateness of the rule in relation to the Special Grant under which police forces are not able to claim additional funding for emergency or terrorism-related incidents unless they have spent one per cent of their budget on such incidents; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd: Ministers have the discretion to waive the one per cent rule and this is considered on a case by case basis.The Prime Minister has already indicated the Government will pay for all the policing costs sought by Greater Manchester police following the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena.

Crime: Wildlife

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will introduce enhanced training for police officers and call handlers across all agencies on tackling wildlife crime.

Victoria Atkins: With the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit, which provides intelligence, analysis and specialist assistance to individual police forces and other law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom that allows them to deal effectively with wildlife crime investigations.

Forensic Science: Standards

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2017 to Question 115018 on Randox Testing Services and Trimega, whether it is a legal requirement for accreditation to be granted in order to supply forensic services.

Mr Nick Hurd: No. In the criminal justice jurisdiction, the Forensic Science Regulator (FSR) determines the standards and timeframes for providers of forensic services to reach accreditation. The Government is committed to giving the FSR statutory powers as soon as Parliamentary time allows. At that point the FSR will be able to prohibit providers from submitting evidence to the criminal justice system if they do not hold accreditation.In family proceedings, there is no legal requirement currently for such tests to meet any specific scientific testing standard. The court will consider the veracity of that evidence as for any other expert evidence.

Human Trafficking: Wales

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on human trafficking in Wales.

Victoria Atkins: Tacking modern slavery and human trafficking is a high priority for HMG and we will continue to work closely with EU partners on this issue. The details of the UK’s future relationship with the EU will be subject to negotiation. Public safety in the UK and the rest of Europe will be at the heart of our negotiations.

Asylum: Employment

Alex Sobel: To ask the Home Secretary, if she will make it her Department’s policy to grant asylum applicants who have been waiting for longer than six months for a decision on their application permission to work without the Shortage Occupation restrictions list.

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applicants have been granted permission to work in the last 12 months.

Brandon Lewis: Asylum seekers are not allowed to work in the UK unless their claim has been outstanding for at least 12 months through no fault of their own. Those who are granted permission to work are restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List. The policy is designed to protect the resident labour market so that access to employment is prioritised for British citizens and lawful residents, including those granted refugees status. We have no plans to change this policy. The data requested on the number of asylum seekers granted permission to work is only held on paper case files or within the notes sections of the Home Office's databases. This data is not aggregated in national reporting systems, so information on the number of asylum seekers allowed to work could only be obtained through a manual case search at disproportionate cost.

Asylum

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to increase the period for which refugees continue to receive asylum support after receiving a positive decision on their asylum application to 50 days on account of issues with gaining National Insurance numbers within the current 28 days.

Brandon Lewis: There are no plans to increase the period to 50 days. If an asylum seeker receiving support from the Home Office is granted refugee status they are given notice that their support will stop 28 days later and provided with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). The BRP is the main document they need to prove their eligibility to take employment or apply for benefits from the Department of Work and Pensions. Additionally, under new arrangements the Home Office offers the refugee assistance to make a benefits claim by arranging an appointment with a local DWP office. The Home Office also issues the refugee with a national insurance number (NINO). Possession of a NINO at this stage is not essential to make a benefits application as the DWP can provide one as part of the benefits claim process. We have, however, been working to ensure that the NINO is issued at the same time as the BRP and plan to implement a new process in the new year whereby the number is printed on the BRP.

Asylum

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the level of asylum support on the physical and mental well-being of people seeking asylum who have been waiting on a decision for more than six months.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office ensure that asylum seekers are not left destitute by providing accommodation and a weekly cash allowance. The level of the allowance is reviewed each year to ensure that it is sufficient to cover their essential living needs. The Court of Appeal has rejected a legal challenge to the methodology used to assess the adequacy of the cash allowance. Asylum seekers also have full access to the NHS, including mental health services if they are needed.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Offshore Industry: North Sea

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) industry regulators on maximizing the economic recovery of North Sea oil and gas reserves.

Richard Harrington: The UK Oil and gas industry remains a priority for the whole Government.In the recent Autumn Budget the Government announced the introduction of a Transferable Tax History mechanism for UK Continental Shelf oil and gas producers for deals that complete on or after 1 November 2018. This initiative is a world first and should encourage new entrants and unlock fresh investment for a basin that still holds up to 20 billion barrels of oil. In addition, the Chancellor during his recent visit to Aberdeen announced additional funding of £5 million to help stimulate exploration activity in the UK Continental Shelf. This is on top of the £2.3 billion of Government support for the industry over recent years through initiatives likes the £250m Aberdeen City Deal Package and reducing tax that the industry pays in recognition of the challenging conditions which face the sector and to encourage investment.Ministers have regular discussions with the industry regulators, including the Oil and Gas Authority who is charged with maximising economic recovery of oil and gas reserves in the UK Continental Shelf.

Small Businesses: Procurement

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support his Department plans to offer to small businesses who encounter supply chain delays after the UK leaves the EU.

Margot James: The Department has engaged with over 500 businesses across the UK to understand the impact at the border of the UK’s exit from the EU.Government will continue to work closely with businesses and trade associations to support business through any changes required as a result of the implementation of our future trading relationship with the EU.We are working with the Department for Exiting the European Union and the Treasury to minimise disruption and maximise certainty for business.Our Industrial Strategy will also help ensure UK industry continues to prosper as we exit the EU.

Industry: Investment

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to page 13 of the Government's paper, Industrial Strategy: Building a Britain fit for the future, whether the biggest ever increase in public investment is measured in percentage or absolute terms; and what comparative levels of investment have been in each of the last 30 years.

Claire Perry: Over the five years from 2016/17 to 2021/22, public funding of R&D is set to increase from around £9.5bn to around £12.5bn in cash terms. Correcting for inflation, this is an increase of around £2.1bn in 2015 prices. This will be the largest five-year increase since records began, in absolute terms.Regarding comparative levels, I refer the hon. Member to the following table: Annual level of public funding of General Expenditure of R&D, £m in 2015 prices Annual public funding of GERD198187401982[Data not available]198386121984[Data not available]19857648198675811987741219886996198973061990709919916914199266171993666319946975199569671996681419976587199868361999717320007431200172532002747420038221200485202005884920068894200787162008888020099371201092722011909620128446201393722014931420159183 Source: ONS GERD time series data. Publically-funded GERD includes Government, Research Councils and Higher Education

Carbon Capture and Storage: Scotland

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the steps needed to develop a carbon capture and storage cluster in Scotland.

Richard Harrington: The Government’s Clean Growth Strategy, published on 12 October 2017, commits Government to working with ongoing initiatives in Teesside, Merseyside, South Wales and Grangemouth to test the potential for development of carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) industrial decarbonisation clusters. The Department met with Scottish Government, The Crown Estate Scotland, Pale Blue Dot Energy Ltd, Scottish Carbon Capture & Storage and Summit Power on 15 November 2017 to discuss CCUS in Scotland and these discussions continue.

Carbon Capture and Storage

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the contract awarded in February 2017 to Pale Blue Dot to review business models for carbon dioxide transport and storage, whether this work has been completed.

Claire Perry: The Department commissioned Pale Blue Dot Energy Ltd to undertake a study ‘CO2 transport and storage: Review of business models (Phase 1)’. This work has now been completed and the report will be published on gov.uk in January 2018.

Energy: Housing

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to upgrade fuel poor homes to Band C or above.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 01 December 2017



The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) requires energy companies to fund household energy efficiency improvements each year. 70% of ECO is currently focussed on improving the energy efficiency of low income and vulnerable households and we intend to consult on moving that to 100% for the next Obligation period. Combined with energy rebates under the Warm Home Discount scheme, this is at least £770m of support to low income and vulnerable households in 2017/18. In the Clean Growth Strategy, the Government committed to extend support for home energy efficiency out to 2028 at least as the current levels of ECO funding (£640m per annum), and review the best form of support beyond 2022 recognising the need to both save carbon and meet the Government’s commitment to upgrade all fuel poor homes to EPC Band C by 2030. In addition, Government has legislated from April 2018 that all landlords of the worst performing privately rented properties must meet a minimum standard of Energy Performance Certificate Band E, before they can be let. In the longer term, Government has committed to looking at raising energy performance standards across the private rented sector, with a view for as many properties to reach Energy Performance Certificate Band C by 2030.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Sir Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to set targets for the UK to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to limit global warming.

Claire Perry: The UK was the first country in the world to set legally binding greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, under the Climate Change Act 2008. The Act requires us to reduce emissions by at least 80% against 1990 levels by 2050, with carbon budgets (caps on emissions over a five year period) to take us on steps down towards this target. Since 1990, we have cut emissions by 42% while our economy has grown by two thirds.The Fifth Carbon Budget (covering 2028-32) was passed into law on 21 July 2016. This budget is set in line with the recommendation of our independent advisers, the Committee on Climate Change, at 1,725 MtCO2e, equivalent to a 57% reduction on 1990 levels.In October, the Government published the Clean Growth Strategy, which sets out our plans for cutting emissions, while keeping costs down for consumers, creating good jobs and growing the economy.

Productivity

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what productivity growth targets he has set for the Industrial Strategy over the course of the 2017 Parliament.

Claire Perry: Holding answer received on 01 December 2017



It was not considered appropriate to set productivity targets for the Industrial Strategy under the course of the present Parliament. As announced in the White Paper, the Industrial Strategy Council will be responsible for putting the right evaluation and reporting structures in place to assess progress.

Geoengineering

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will bring forward proposals to introduce a Geo-Engineering Act.

Claire Perry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 November 2017 to Question 113158.Geo-engineering is the deliberate large-scale intervention in the Earth’s natural systems to counteract climate change. A wide range of different geo-engineering techniques has been proposed, in two broad categories: those to remove greenhouse gases directly from the atmosphere and those to reflect some of the Sun’s energy that reaches Earth back into space.Some forms of geo-engineering are already regulated. For instance, in England, large-scale afforestation is covered by Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations. Oceans are protected from ocean fertilisation activities and, potentially, other forms of marine geo-engineering by the Protocol to the London Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter.Under the Convention on Biological Diversity the 196 Parties, including the UK, have agreed to take a precautionary approach on geo-engineering activities that may affect biodiversity until there is an adequate scientific basis to justify such activities, with the exception of small-scale, controlled scientific research studies.

Motor Vehicles: Research

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support the research and development of alternative methods of powering vehicles.

Claire Perry: On the 27 November the Government set out the future of mobility as one of four grand challenges in order to put the UK at the forefront of a profound change in how we move people, goods and services around our towns, cities and countryside. The way we are powering our vehicles is changing. This is driven by extraordinary innovation in engineering, technology and business models. The Government has adopted a technology neutral stance and welcomes any innovative thinking that helps us to decarbonise road transport and reduce emissions. We are supporting fuel cell, battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, natural gas and biofuels. The Government has strengthened the R&D framework with £500m committed over 10 years, matched by industry, to the Advanced Propulsion Centre to accelerate the development of affordable low-carbon, vehicle technologies, with a further £200m through Innovate UK to support R&D of low emission vehicles. The Government’s Hydrogen for Transport Advancement programme is providing capital funding for early refuelling stations. £5m has been allocated to build or upgrade 12 stations to support the launch of fuel cell electric vehicles by vehicle manufacturers. This has helped secure the UK as one of five global launch markets for fuel cell electric vehicles. To support the early market for these vehicles, the Government is also providing £2m to facilitate their deployment in public and private sector fleets. In March 2017 the Government announced £23m of additional funding to increase the uptake of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and grow hydrogen refuelling infrastructure. This programme will support the development of the hydrogen for transport market until 2020. The Faraday Battery Challenge was launched in July 2017. Government will commit £246m over 4 years into battery technology. This will ensure the UK builds on its strengths and leads the world in the design, development and manufacture of electric batteries and will be delivered via a coordinated R&D programme.

Post Offices: Bank Services

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department is taking steps to raise awareness of the banking services that Post Office branches provide.

Margot James: The Government is committed to providing universal banking access for all consumers and small businesses in the UK - 99% of UK personal bank customers and 95% of small business accounts can withdraw cash and deposit cash and cheques over the counter in any of the UK’s network of 11,600 post offices. I understand that the Post Office is working to increase public awareness of its banking services. There is a series of ongoing in-branch campaigns, a recent one seeing 7,000 post office branches advertising banking services nationwide. The Post Office is also working in conjunction with UK banks to launch a series of campaigning initiatives through the next year.

Companies: Ownership

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of  including trusts in the legislative proposal on the beneficial ownership of companies seeking to purchase property,.

Margot James: The responses to the call for evidence are currently being analysed and a response will be published in due course. The response to the call for evidence will set out the proposed operation and scope of the register in more detail.

Companies: Ownership

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals to require the publication of details relating to the beneficial ownership of companies buying residential property in the UK.

Margot James: The responses to the call for evidence are currently being analysed and a response will be published in due course.

ICT: Innovation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to encourage the commercialisation of UK innovations in (a) cybersecurity, (b) machine learning, (c) microelectronics, (d) compound chip technology and (c) biotechnology.

Joseph Johnson: Holding answer received on 04 December 2017



Government has just launched an ambitious, modern Industrial Strategy which sets out in detail a long term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK and our commitment to encouraging the commercialisation of UK innovations, helping to ensure that exciting ideas are turned into strong commercial products and services. It includes two new centres to support innovation in UK cyber security as part of the National Cyber Security Strategy, a National Security Strategic Investment Fund of up to £85m to invest in advanced technologies, a transformative multi-billion pound Sector Deal with the life sciences industry to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of innovation in this sector, our commitment to working closely with industry and academia on the Artificial Intelligence grand challenge and sector deal and a Patient Capital Review which puts £2.5b investment into innovative firms wanting to scale up. In addition, we are investing in strategic innovation challenges through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and through the Catapult network we are bridging the gap between business, academia, research and Government on late-stage research and development to transform “high potential” ideas into new products and services to generate economic growth.

Unemployment: West Midlands

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which measures in the industrial strategy will help to reduce the rate of unemployment in the West Midlands.

Claire Perry: The Government’s Industrial Strategy sets out a long term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK. It also builds on previous reforms to allow local leaders to focus where they will have the greatest economic impact. We will agree Local Industrial Strategies that build on local strengths and deliver on economic opportunities. These will be long-term, evidence-based, and aligned to the national Industrial Strategy.The Government is pleased to have agreed a further devolution package with the West Midlands: the detail of this deal demonstrates the Government’s commitment to mayoral devolution, the Midlands Engine and promoting local economic growth. Key measures to support employment include: Joint work to establish one of the first Skills Advisory Panels – a new partnership between the West Midlands Combined Authority, local employers, post-16 skills providers and central government which will bring together data and intelligence on local labour market demand and influence skills provision, including the implementation of T-level qualifications in the local area. A career learning pilot testing new approaches to helping adults to upskill and reskill throughout their working lives. In March 2017 we announced a flagship £20million Midlands Skills Challenge to improve skills across the Midlands. This includes: £11 million to provide additional Work Coaches in order to deliver targeted employment support to unemployed people across Birmingham, Solihull and Black Country, with the aim of supporting claimants furthest from the labour market and improve the employment rate in these areas. And £2 million to offer English-language training to people in the Midlands, whose lack of ability to speak English is holding them back from accessing employment. Finally, in the three months ending September 2017, compared to the same period in 2010, the unemployment rate in the West Midlands fell from 9.0% to 5.7%, a decrease of 3.3 percentage points, meaning 87,000 fewer people unemployed (Labour Force Survey, November 2017).

Trimega

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of the 29 November 2017 to Question 115018, whether Trimega was supplying services to (a) Government departments, (b) local authorities (c) police forces or (d) any other public or private body during the period in which that company did not hold UKAS accreditation to the international standard for test laboratories ISO/IEC 17025.

Margot James: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is responsible for accreditation policy and appoints the National Accreditation Body, UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service). It does not hold data on UKAS-accredited organisations or the customers of those organisations.

Climate Change Convention

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department's policy is on the UK continuing to be legally bound by the Paris Agreement after the UK leaves the EU.

Claire Perry: The UK will continue to be legally bound by the Paris Agreement after it leaves the EU; this is because it is Party to the Agreement both in its own right and through the EU.Climate change is one of the most serious issues that we are facing and we remain firmly committed to the Paris Agreement and our emissions reduction and climate finance efforts, which are the result of this commitment. Climate change can only be tackled by nations working together and we will continue to work closely with the EU on this issue.

Living Wage

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government still plans to raise the National Living Wage to £9 by 2020.

Margot James: The Government will increase the National Living Wage to 60% of median earnings by 2020. This target is sensitive to wider economic conditions and increases are informed by independent advice from the expert Low Pay Commission. This ensures workers are rewarded with pay rises while supporting a growing economy.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Pakistan: Non-Governmental Organisations

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps the Government has taken to facilitate dialogue between the Government of Pakistan and NGOs in that country as a result of the Concluding Observations of the ICCPR and the Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan.

Mark Field: We are concerned by some of the restrictions placed on NGOs in Pakistan.We are actively lobbying the Government of Pakistan to ensure that their new system of regulation is implemented swiftly, and allows INGOs and NGOs to continue their important development and humanitarian work.The review by the UN Human Rights Council of Pakistan's implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights held in July this year, noted its concern about the Government of Pakistan's regulation of INGOs. We raised our concerns over the limits on freedom of expression in Pakistan during Pakistan's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in November.​

Yemen: Counter-terrorism

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2017 to Question 61033, whether he has requested a report from the Secretary of State for Defence on the number of casualties that have occurred as a result of joint US-UK counter-terror activities in Yemen since January 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign Secretary remains in close contact with the Secretary of State for Defence on UK counter-terror activities. We continue our cooperation with regional and international partners to tackle the threat posed by terrorist organisations including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Daesh. For operational reasons we cannot comment in detail on this activity.

Aung San Suu Kyi

Tom Tugendhat: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific (a) requested and (b) held a one-to-one meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi during his visit to Burma in November 2017.

Mark Field: ​Embassy officials explored the possibility of a one-on-one meeting with State Counsellor ​Aung San Suu Kyi during the ASEM Conference on 20-21 November 2017 but this was not possible. However, the Minister of State addressed her directly in his ASEM speeches, and held meetings with senior Burmese ministers, including the Minister of Defence U Sein Win, the State Counsellor's Chief of Staff U Kyaw Tin Swe and the Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Tin.

Aung San Suu Kyi

Tom Tugendhat: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the (a) dates and (b) length of the phone conversations he had held with Aung San Suu Kyi since 25 August 2017.

Mark Field: ​The Foreign Secretary spoke with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 7 and 14 September and on 21 October. The FCO does not record the length of phone calls but all were substantial conversations.

Qatar: Muslim Brotherhood

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the meeting between officials from his Department and their Qatari counterparts on 7 June 2017 included discussions about that country directing financial support to the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK via UK-registered charities.

Alistair Burt: The UK and Qatar have a close bilateral relationship that allows us to discuss a range of issues. There have been no recent discussions between officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with their counterparts from Qatar about this subject.

Mohammed Awad

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Government of Israel on the time taken to issue an exit visa for Mohammed Awad.

Alistair Burt: ​Whilst the Government sympathises with Mr Awad, we are unable to intervene in his case. Due to the high number of such cases, we do not intervene as a general rule in cases regarding non-British nationals.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will undertake a visit to Iran to discuss the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with his Iranian counterpart in advance of her planned court appearance for 10 December 2017.

Alistair Burt: ​The Foreign Secretary has already stated to the House that he hopes to travel to Tehran before the end of the year. One of his priorities will be to ensure progress in all our dual national cases, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his overseas counterparts on mediation of conflicts in (a) the Nuba Mountains and (b) the River Nile area of Sudan.

Rory Stewart: Whilst we have seen a welcome reduction in armed conflict between Government forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), the security and humanitarian situation remains fragile in the Two Areas (South Kordofan and Blue Nile), and we continue to monitor the situation closely. We engage regularly with the Government of Sudan and opposition groups to promote conflict resolution in Sudan, most recently during a November visit, with his Troika counterparts, by the UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan.We welcomed the signing of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) Roadmap Agreement by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Call alliance of opposition groups. However, we are disappointed that since the signing of the Roadmap, no progress has been made. We urge all sides to return urgently to the negotiating table so that steps can be taken towards a permanent ceasefire. I raised this issue directly with the Government of Sudan during the fourth round of the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue in October.

Libya: Slavery

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Libyan Government regarding recent reports of African migrants being sold at slave auctions.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cabinet Office

Prime Minister: Social Media

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people in 10 Downing Street with responsibility for social media are employed on an (a) full and (b) part-time basis.

Caroline Nokes: There is no one employed in 10 Downing Street who only has responsibility for social media, on either a full or part-time basis.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Dominic Cummings

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers of his Department have had with Dominic Cummings since June 2017; and what the purpose of those meetings was.

Mr Steve Baker: All meetings of ministers with external stakeholders are published in the Department for Exiting the European Union’s quarterly transparency releases, which are publicly available on Gov.uk.

Gender: Equality

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what plans he has to protect gender equality by bringing forward legislative proposals to transpose provisions on women's rights fully into UK law when the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: All substantive protections covered in the Equality Act 2006, the Equality Act 2010 and equivalent legislation in Northern Ireland will continue to apply in domestic law after exit just as they do now, subject to the correction of any deficient provisions (for example, changing references to “EU law” to “retained EU law”). The EU (Withdrawal) Bill will also convert EU law into UK law as it applies in the UK at the moment of exit. The Government is committed to ensuring that equalities are properly protected in UK legislation following our withdrawal from the EU. In some areas, such as reporting requirements on gender pay gaps, UK equalities law offers greater breadth than that offered by EU law. Another example is maternity leave allowance which far exceeds the minimum requirement set out in EU law.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Legatum Institute

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what meetings Ministers of his Department have had with representatives of the Legatum Institute in the last 12 months.

Mr Steve Baker: Ministers from across Government are speaking with stakeholders from a variety of sectors, to understand their concerns and priorities regarding our exit from the EU. As part of this process, we have engaged with a range of domestic and EU-facing think tanks. These organisations have contributed to the dialogue around EU withdrawal with a range of insights and opinions on proposed future arrangements, as well as on areas of impact for stakeholders across industry and society. Details of ministerial meetings are published in the Department’s Quarterly Transparency Returns, which are publicly available on GOV.UK.

Trade Agreements

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of progress on the three initial divorce issues and whether this is sufficient to begin trade negotiations after the EU Council in December.

Mr Robin Walker: In response to an Urgent Question in the House this afternoon on progress with negotiations on exiting the EU, the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU said that: "We held further talks in Brussels over the past few days and progress has been made. But we have not yet reached a final conclusion. However, I believe we are now close to concluding the first phase of the negotiations - and moving on to talk about our future trade relations. There is much common understanding, and both sides agree that we must move forward together. Our aims in this negotiation remain as they always have been.” “As was made clear by the comments from President Juncker and President Tusk yesterday, all parties remain confident of reaching a positive conclusion in the course of the week.” “In particular, on the issue of Northern Ireland and Ireland we have been clear that we want to protect all elements of the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement, to maintain the Common Travel Area and to protect associated rights. We want to ensure there is no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. We recognise that as we exit we must respect the integrity of the EU single market and the customs union. “But we are equally clear that we must respect the integrity of the United Kingdom. There remain some final issues to resolve, which require further negotiation and consultation over the coming days. Our officials are in continuous contact and we expect to reconvene in Brussels later this week for further negotiations."

Department for Education

Pupils: Allergies

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the level of availability of adrenaline auto injectors in schools.

Mr Robert Goodwill: To provide specific support for pupils with allergies, the Department of Health recently released new guidance on the use of adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) in schools. This follows the publication of the Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017, which allows schools to hold spare AAIs, without a prescription, for use in emergencies. The revised regulations came into effect on 1 October 2017. Schools are not required to hold AAIs. It is a discretionary change enabling schools to do so if they wish. Any AAIs held by a school should be considered a spare device and not a replacement for a pupil’s own AAI. The government has not made a recent assessment of the level of availability of AAIs in schools.

Class Sizes

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of average class size in schools in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Lewisham Deptford constituency in each year since 2010.

Nick Gibb: Average class size figures for state funded schools in England are calculated and published annually in the statistical first releases available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers.A national summary of average class sizes for Key Stages 1 and 2 and secondary is in the national tables document for each year, tables 6a and 6b respectively.A summary at local authority and regional level is only available for Key Stages 1 and 2 and is in the local authority and regional tables document for each year, table 11.Data is not summarised by parliamentary constituency, but data for each school providing average class sizes for Key Stages 1 and 2, where appropriate, and overall is available via opening the underlying tables document for each year then the file ‘…Schools_Classes_UD’. The figures can be filtered by parliamentary constituency, school phase and local authority.

Pupil Exclusions: Harlow

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils have been excluded from  primary schools in Harlow constituency in each academic year since 2010.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students have been excluded from secondary schools in Harlow constituency in each academic year since 2010.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils have been expelled from primary schools in England in each academic year since 2010.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Statistics on permanent and fixed-period exclusions were published in “Permanent and fixed-period exclusions in England 2015 to 2016”, available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england-2015-to-2016.The underlying data within this release includes school, local authority, regional and national information for the years requested. Constituency level information is not available.

Special Educational Needs

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications have been made for education, health and care plans to (a) local authorities and (b) Lancashire County Council.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The number of children and young people assessed and a decision taken whether or not to issue an education, health and care plan, by local council, are available on the department’s website.For the 2016 calendar year, this information is available in table 7 on the department’s website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-2017.For the 2015 calendar year, this information is available in table 7 on the department’s website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-2016.For the 2014 calendar year, this information is available in table 6 on the department’s website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-2015.

Special Educational Needs

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many education, health and care plans have been provided to children (a) in England and (b) living in Lancashire.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The number of children and young people with an education, health and care plan for England and by local council, is available in table 3 on the department’s website athttps://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-2017.

Pupils: Health

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2017 to Question 110185, if she will undertake a survey, similar to her Department's Supporting mental health in schools and colleges survey published in August 2017, to evaluate how many educational institutions have policies for supporting pupils with medical conditions.

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2017 to Question 110185, if she will instigate a review, in advance of the existing review date in 2019, of (a) the Common Inspection Framework and (b) its component safeguarding document, to ensure that each of those publications contains adequate information relevant to the duty of schools to support pupils with medical conditions.

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2017 to Question 110185, if she will review the training regime for Ofsted inspectors to ensure that those inspectors receive training on monitoring and assessing the compliance of schools carrying out their duty to support pupils with medical conditions.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The government has introduced the requirement for governing bodies to make arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions. We have also provided statutory guidance outlining schools’ responsibilities in this area. This ensures governing boards develop policy to help pupils with medical conditions that is readily accessible to parents and school staff. The government currently has no plans to survey how many educational institutions have policies in place. The content of the Common Inspection Framework, safeguarding guidance and training of inspectors are matters for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the hon. Member for West Ham and I will deposit a copy of her reply in the libraries of the House.

Universities: Bullying

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that universities protect pro-Israeli student societies from intimidation on campuses.

Joseph Johnson: This government takes anti-Semitism extremely seriously. There is no place in our society, including within higher education, for hatred or any form of harassment, discrimination or racism, including anti-Semitism. Higher education providers (HEPs) have a clear responsibility to provide a safe and inclusive environment, and no staff or student should ever feel threatened or intimidated. It is essential that HEPs have clear policies and procedures which set out how they meet their responsibilities to ensure that all students and staff can live and work without discrimination, intimidation or harassment. In September 2015 the government asked Universities UK (UUK) to set up a Harassment Taskforce to consider what more can be done to address harassment and hate crime on campus, including anti-Semitism. The taskforce’s report, ‘Changing the Culture’, published in October 2016, recommended a zero-tolerance approach to harassment and hate crime. On 27 July 2017 UUK published a directory of case studies detailing the innovative projects universities addressing the taskforce’s recommendations. These included Goldsmith’s hate crime reporting centre (case study 11) which is a joint initiative with the local authority in Lewisham and Metropolitan Police to provide students and staff with a safe space to report incidents. These are published on UUK’s website: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Pages/changing-the-culture-case-studies.aspx. In addition, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has provided £1.8 million for projects to improve responses to hate crime and online harassment on campus. HEFCE is currently working with UUK to test the sector’s response to the Taskforce’s recommendations and the results of this will be published early in 2018.

Students: Finance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of students who would be eligible for an adult dependency grant but are (a) not married or in a civil partnership and (b) under the age of 25.

Joseph Johnson: The information requested is not available.

Music Therapy

Iain Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the efficacy of music therapy in increasing students' educational attainment.

Nick Gibb: We have not made an assessment on the efficacy of music therapy in increasing students’ educational attainment. Research shows however that Music education may have a positive cognitive impact, particularly amongst primary school pupils (Huat See, and Kokotsaki, 2017).Music education is a statutory element of the National Curriculum in key stages 1-3.

Health Professions: Training

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of trends in the number of students applying to study nursing and midwifery.

Joseph Johnson: The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) publish data on the number of students applying to study nursing. The latest data, covering placed applicants and those free to be placed in clearing for the 2017 cycle, was published on 14 September 2017. Figures on the number of placed English applicants to nursing are in Table AB.4 and figures on the number of English nursing applicants who were yet to be placed are in Table AB.13 of the following file:https://www.ucas.com/file/125716/download?token=PiEKTpQw. UCAS will be publishing final figures for nursing applicants for the 2017 cycle on Monday 4 December 2017. These will be available here:https://www.ucas.com/corporate/data-and-analysis/ucas-undergraduate-releases/ucas-undergraduate-analysis-reports/2017-end-cycle-report.

Special Educational Needs: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children with an (a)Education,HealthandCare Planand (b) Statement ofEducational Needs and Disability received a permanent or fixed-term exclusion in each local authority in the West Midlands in each of the last five years.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The accompanying table provides information on permanent and fixed-period exclusions of pupils with Education, Health and Care plans and Statements of Special Educational Needs in each local council in the West Midlands in each of the last five years.



116769 Accompanying Table
(Excel SpreadSheet, 26.17 KB)

Special Educational Needs: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how manyeducation,healthandcareplans have been provided to children in (a) the West Midlands (b) Coventry in 2017.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The number of children and young people with an education, health and care plan in 2017 for England, by region and by local council, is available in table 3 on the department’s website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-2017.

Special Educational Needs: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications have been made foreducation,healthandcareplans in (a) the West Midlands, (b) Coventry in 2017.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The number of children and young people assessed and a decision taken whether or not to issue an education, health and care plan for England, by region and by local council, are available on the department’s website.The latest data available are for the 2016 calendar year.For the 2016 calendar year, this information is available in table 7 on the department’s website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-2017.

Family Hubs

Heidi Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Family Hubs.

Mr Robert Goodwill: We welcome the development of family hubs. We know that many areas are already moving towards this model of support for children and families. However, it is up to local councils to decide how to organise and commission services in their areas. Local councils are best placed to understand local needs and how best to meet them, and they should be the ones to determine the effectiveness of their services to children and families.

Sex and Relationship Education

Heidi Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department is making on updating relationship and sex education guidance.

Nick Gibb: We want to help all schools to deliver high quality Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education so that all young people are equipped to have healthy and respectful relationships, and leave school with the knowledge to prepare them for adult life. The Department is currently conducting thorough and wide-ranging engagement with stakeholders, which will help us to reach an evidence-based decision on PSHE, as well as to determine the content of the regulations and statutory guidance.We will consult on draft regulations and guidance and the regulations will then be laid in the House allowing for a full and considered debate. We are working towards schools teaching the new subjects from September 2019.

Children: Day Care

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department will spend on 30 funded hours  childcare in the 2017-18 financial year.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Funding for the free early years’ entitlements is published in the Dedicated Schools Grant allocations. Indicative allocations for 30 hours, which cover a seven month period in 2017-18, can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2017-to-2018.

Children: Day Care

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2017 to Question 111770, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing a secure means for childcare providers to provide detailed financial information on their costs and revenues.

Mr Robert Goodwill: We have been clear that where providers feel unable to deliver 30 hours of free childcare on government funding, they are welcome to share, if they feel able to do so, financial information on their costs and revenues. They can supply this information through existing communication channels.

Pre-school Education

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of children have access to a maintained nursery school.

Mr Robert Goodwill: In January 2017, there were 402 maintained nursery schools in 102 local councils. In total, they had 43,785 pupils.We do not have information on the proportion of children who have access to a maintained nursery school. Maintained nursery schools’ catchment areas will vary according to locally set admissions criteria and as a result of the choices parents make about early years provision for their children.

Children: Day Care

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November 2017 to Question 115754, on children: day care, on what date she expects a contractor to be appointed.

Mr Robert Goodwill: We have signed a letter of intent with a consortium of Frontier Economics, researchers from the University of East London and NatCen Social Research to undertake the year one evaluation of 30 hours free childcare policy. The contract will be signed in January with fieldwork commencing soon after.

Children: Day Care

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what fire safety standards her Department expects childcare settings to meet.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. The statutory framework is published at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.The welfare and safeguarding section in the EYFS requires childcare settings to comply with requirements of health and safety legislation, including fire safety requirements. Providers must take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children, staff and others on the premises in the case of fire or any other emergency, and must have an emergency evacuation procedure. Providers must have appropriate fire detection and control equipment (for example, fire alarms, smoke detectors, fire blankets and/or fire extinguishers) which is in working order. Fire exits must be clearly identifiable, and fire doors must be free of obstruction and easily opened from the inside.

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice: Telephone Services

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November to Question 111484, on Ministry of Justice: telephone services, for what reason his Department does not hold information on phonelines transferred to arms-length bodies.

Dr Phillip Lee: Arm’s Length Bodies are independent organisations, that operate at arm’s length from the Ministry of Justice. They are responsible and accountable for ensuring that their liabilities for the receipt of services, such as phone lines, are met. As a result, the Ministry of Justice does not hold this information for Arm’s Length Bodies.

Community Rehabilitation Companies: Females

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what services each community rehabilitation company offers to women.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to his oral  answer to the Right Honourable Member for Delyn on 31 October 2017, Official Report, column 696), how much of the additional funding allocated to community rehabilitation companies is being spent on specific provision for women.

Dr Phillip Lee: Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) are contractually required to provide services for female offenders that they are managing in the community, and to deliver resettlement services to offenders both before and following release from prison. As part of our reforms to probation, we have given providers the flexibility to innovate, and to tailor rehabilitative support to the particular needs of offenders locally. We have not, therefore, prescribed how much of the additional funding for CRCs must be spent on services for female offenders. Records detailing the specifics of each service available in every individual CRC could only be collated at disproportionate cost, however records detailing the organisations responsible for the provision of these services are available, with the most recent dated July 2017. All 21 CRCs have arrangements in place to address the needs of female offenders. 20 of the 21 CRCs have subcontracting arrangements in place to deliver these services, with Durham Tees Valley CRC providing the service directly. Across these 20 CRCs, there are 47 locally based organisations delivering targeted support for female offenders, addressing their specific needs locally. A further seven small providers deliver services across larger, geographically remote, areas.We have a robust contract management and assurance process in place for CRCs, and continue to assess their performance through a range of service levels, including their delivery of Through the Gate and how they are addressing the specific needs of female offenders.

Rape: Refuges

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce the general access times to rape crisis centres in (a) Wandsworth, (b) South London, (c) London and (d) the UK.

Dr Phillip Lee: We are committed to ensuring that victims get the support they need to cope with and, as far as possible, recover from the effects of crime. Rape support centres are funded from a number of different sources, including the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). In 2017/18 the MoJ directly allocated around £7.2m as a contribution to 97 Rape Support Centres across England and Wales to provide independent, specialist support to female and male victims of sexual violence, including victims of child sexual abuse. An additional 4.1% uplift was also allocated to all rape support centres in recognition of the increasing demand for support. In 2017/18 the MoJ also allocated around £68m to Police and Crime Commissioners to locally commission emotional and practical support services for victims of crime, including services for victims of sexual violence. In London, 5 centres are part-funded nationally by the MoJ, including 1 centre in South London and Wandsworth.

Crime: Victims

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to support victims of crime; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Phillip Lee: We have committed to publish a victims’ strategy by early 2018, which will consider legislative and non-legislative options to give effect to the strategy. We will bring forward any legislation for victims when Parliamentary time allows.

Aircraft: Kingston upon Hull

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he is aware of an offer by the St Stephen's Shopping Centre, Hull, to host the replica of Amy Johnson's Tiger Moth produced by prisoners in HMP Hull; and if he will make a statement.

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to ensure that the replica of Amy Johnson's Tiger Moth produced in HMP Hull remains in Hull.

Mr Sam Gyimah: HMP Hull created a full-scale replica of Amy Johnson’s Gipsy Moth as part of the Hull City of Culture 2017 programme and the prison’s reducing reoffending initiative. HMP Hull approached and held discussions about the permanent placement of the replica Gipsy Moth with the City of Culture organisation, Network Rail for the use of Paragon Station, Curator Hull Museums, Museums Registrar (East Riding) and Sewerby Hall before the decision was taken to locate house the replica at Yorkshire Air Museum. The City of Culture organisation have since been approached by St Stephen’s shopping centre to express an interest in housing the replica model, this is currently being considered.

Prisoners: Literacy

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps is he taking to reduce levels of illiteracy among prisoners.

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what comparative assessment he has made of (a) current levels and (b) levels 10 years ago of illiteracy among those serving a prison sentence.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The government introduced mandatory testing of prisoners’ levels of maths and English in August 2014. There is no comparable data prior to that. Prisoners are tested on reception to custody and, since 1 August 2017, we also test prisoners when they move between establishments and on release. The table below sets out data on assessed levels of English on reception: Academic year:2014/152015/16 Number%Number%Education assessments in English72,680 62,230 of which …Entry Level 15,7607.9%4,6207.4%Entry Level 29,63013.2%9,77015.7%Entry Level 321,62029.7%21,05033.8%Level 125,85035.6%18,56029.8%Level 29,34012.9%6,34010.2%Not known8901.2%2,4103.9% The Department for Education has not yet published data for the 2016/17 academic year. Entry Level 3 would be the level expected of an 11-year old: in the 2015/16 academic year, 57% of prisoners were at or below that level in English. We are empowering prison governors, enabling them to tailor education and training in their establishment to the needs of their prisoners. Our core common curriculum of maths, English, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and ICT will be available in every prison. We will shortly announce which Awarding Organisations’ qualifications will be used in these subjects, ensuring continuity of learning as prisoners move through the system. The results of our new tests on transfer or release will enable us to hold governors to account for prisoners’ progress in English and in maths.

Legal Systems

Giles Watling: What steps the Government plans to take to ensure the effective operation of the UK legal system after the UK leaves the EU.

Dominic Raab: The Government have made it a top priority to ensure that there is a smooth legal transition, both in our negotiations with the EU and as a matter for our domestic implementing legislation.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Mohammad Yasin: What assessment he has made of trends in access to justice resulting from court and tribunal service closures in England and Wales.

Dominic Raab: We are investing over £1bn to transform our justice system providing new ways to access justice online, reducing the need to travel to a court or tribunal building in many cases.We will continue to monitor the performance of the justice system as we roll out our programme of reforms.Any court or tribunal that we are considering closing is done so through a consultation and an impact assessment is published alongside this.

Rape: Sentencing

Luke Pollard: Whether there are plans to review sentencing guidelines for rape committed by people under 18.

Dominic Raab: Sentencing guidelines are not set by the Ministry of Justice. They are set by the independant Sentencing Council.I can however confirm, new guidelines on sentencing under 18s for sexual offences came into effect in June.

*No heading*

Gareth Thomas: What steps he is taking to reduce overcrowding in prisons.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Most of our prison estate is uncrowded. However we recognise crowding is an issue and in 2016-17 the average percentage of prisoners in crowded accommodation was 24.5%.Our reforms will see us close down and redevelop ageing prisons and deliver high-quality, modern establishments fit for today's demands. Our new prison estate will have up to 10,000 modern prison places that create the physical conditions for Governors to achieve better educational, training and rehabilitation outcomes.Reducing overcrowding is a central aim of the estate modernisation and the new prisons will be designed with this in firmly in mind.

Scotland Office

Scotland Office: Assets

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the value of the assets for which his Department is responsible.

David Mundell: Details of the assets held by the Scotland Office are available in the annual report and accounts. The Scotland Office does not expect leaving the EU will impact on the value of those assets.

Scotland Office: Brexit

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to the oral contribution of the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union to the House of Lords European Union Committee on 31 October, how many civil servants his Department (a) has recruited and (b) expects to recruit to work on leaving the EU.

David Mundell: Exiting the European Union is an all-of-government operation for which the Department for Exiting the European Union is doing detailed work with departments to prepare for the upcoming negotiations by understanding the risks and opportunities of leaving the EU and coordinating planning. Members of staff across the Department provide advice and analysis on EU Exit issues as required. Given the interactions between EU exit work and the Department’s other priorities, it would not be possible to give an accurate figure.

Scotland Office: Brexit

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the (a) number of officials to be employed by his Department and (b) his Department's payroll in (i) 2018, (ii) 2019, (iii) 2020, (iv) 2021 and (v) 2022 as a result of the UK leaving EU.

David Mundell: Exiting the European Union is an all-of-government operation for which the Department for Exiting the European Union is doing detailed work with departments to prepare for the upcoming negotiations by understanding the risks and opportunities of leaving the EU and coordinating planning.Members of staff across the Department provide advice and analysis on EU Exit issues as required. Given the interactions between EU exit work and the Department’s other priorities, it would not be possible to give an accurate figure.

Ministry of Defence

Falkland Islands: Armed Conflict

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to ensure that memorial sites and places that commemorate the Falklands War are looked after by the Commonwealth Graves Commission.

Mark Lancaster: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) maintains a number of graves and memorials on the Falkland Islands from the conflict in 1982. The 14 graves from the Falklands War within the San Carlos Military Cemetery, and the memorial on the same site, are currently maintained to a very high standard by the CWGC. They also maintain a further two isolated graves at Port Howard and Goose Green.Within the UK, beyond the official commemoration to mark and maintain a Service person's final resting place, it has been long standing Government policy that the responsibility for erecting memorials and associated projects lies with their owners and the costs are not met from public funds, but from private donations or public subscription. There are currently no plans to change this.

EU Defence Policy

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the defence assets being considered for pooling under the Permanent Structured Cooperation; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list those capabilities under discussion in the Permanent Structured Cooperation that would be able to generate a standing multinational unit; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: The aim of Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) is to strengthen EU Member States' cooperation in military matters. PESCO is voluntary and works on an opt-in basis.Member States have suggested more than 40 potential projects for PESCO, none of which propose a standing military unit or pooled assets although a number of projects seek to establish a centre of excellence, logistics hub, or medical command. The UK and other Member States are committed to preventing unnecessary duplication between the EU and NATO, including the establishment of military forces where that need is already met by NATO.

EU Defence Policy

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which UK companies have been awarded contracts under the EU Preparatory Action on Defence Research.

Harriett Baldwin: The proposals for the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (2017) are under evaluation, and the companies that have been awarded contracts have not yet been announced.

EU Defence Policy

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his European Union counterparts on maintaining funding for European Union defence programmes after the UK has left the EU.

Harriett Baldwin: Ministry of Defence Ministers and officials regularly speak to their European counterparts on a range of EU issues. The Government is open to considering options and models for UK participation in European defence research and development and capability programmes and initiatives but this is subject to negotiation.

EU Defence Policy

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the permitted triggers for EU member states requesting funding from the EU Cooperative Financial Mechanism.

Harriett Baldwin: The EU Cooperative Financial Mechanism (CFM) is a new European Defence Agency initiative and is being established on the basis that member states shall only contribute funds on a voluntary basis. The UK has yet to make a decision on whether it will seek to remain party to the CFM in the longer term. As the CFM is only at an embryonic stage there are no 'permitted triggers' agreed for EU member states requesting funding in existence.

EU Defence Policy

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his Irish counterpart on translating joint activity under the EU Battlegroup System into a replacement UN framework; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence maintains a constructive dialogue with Ireland, including a successful visit by the Minister of State in the House of Lords, The right hon. The Earl Howe PC, to Dublin on 3 October. Discussions for maintaining and increasing our future co-operation have covered a range of topics, including potential future co-operation on UN operations. The exact nature of the UK's relationship with the EU and commitments post 2019, including EU Battlegroups, are to be determined as part of negotiations.

Armed Forces: Housing

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the Service Family Accommodation properties allocated under a civilian licence or as part of a sub-letting programme are managed by (a) Carillion Amey and (b) other private contractors.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The number of Service Family Accommodation properties allocated under a civilian license or as part of a subletting programme that are managed by CarillionAmey and other private contractors are shown below:  Management CompanyNumber of propertiesCarillionAmey200Other Private Contractors267

Armed Forces: Housing

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many tenants of Service Family Accommodation properties allocated under a civilian licence or as part of a sub-letting programme have had security vetting and what the level was of that vetting.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Tenants of Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties allocated under a civilian licence are generally Civil Servants or Reservists. They are not subject to security vetting associated with their eligibility to occupy SFA, any security vetting relates to their role.All sublet tenants undergo normal credit and reference checks.Specific security issues are taken into account when looking at prospective sublet sites, the risk of subletting specific properties has been thoroughly assessed and those occupying these properties do not need to be security vetted.

Military Exercises

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what regulations apply where a high temperature is experienced during a training exercise or selection event and no wet bulb thermometer is available; and if he will make a statement

Mr Tobias Ellwood: There are no set regulations regarding the undertaking of a training exercise or selection event when there is no access to a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). The WBGT forms part of a risk assessment and if there is no WBGT monitor available then, Meteorological Office Planning Forecasts can provide an alternative source of information to assist the formation of the risk assessment.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidelines his Department issues for Combat Medical technicians (CMTs) when assessing a casualty for (a) heat exhaustion, and (b) physical exhaustion; and how those conditions differ.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: There is no difference in how casualties are assessed. A full assessment of the patient is made by the Combat Medical Technician (CMT) attending them, and Joint Service Publication (JSP) 539 (Heat Illness and Cold Injury: Prevention and Management) contains guidance on patient assessment and how to provide initial treatment for heat illness. The contents of JSP 539 are taught on the CMT course.JSP 539 is available on Gov.uk, at the following link:www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevention-of-climate-injuries-in-the-armed-forces-medical-policy.

Armed Forces: Training

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the regulations are when the Wet Bulb globe temperature thermometer reading exceeds the upper temperature limit for training during a training event; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Joint Service Publication 539 (Heat illness and cold injury: prevention and management) contains advice about the upper limit for activities. This recommends that a dynamic risk assessment be undertaken throughout the activity to determine whether the activity should be continued, paused or stopped.

Ministry of Defence: Finance

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence,  what estimate he has made of changes to his Department’s budget as a result of Autumn Budget 2017 and whether he plans to increase expenditure on army barracks in Northern Ireland.

Gavin Williamson: The Chancellor confirmed in the Autumn Budget that the Government will continue to meet its commitments to public spending made in Spending Review 2015. For defence this means that the Government will continue to meet the NATO commitment to spend at least 2% of the UK's GDP on Defence each year until 2020-21. Additionally, Defence's budget will continue to increase by 0.5% above inflation each year across the same period.The Ministry of Defence is reviewing the existing funding arrangements in Northern Ireland.

Armoured fighting vehicles

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programme will go out to competition at the Prime Contract level.

Harriett Baldwin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 31 October 2017 to Question 109204 to the right hon. Member for New Forest East (Dr Julian Lewis).



109204 - Armoured Fighting Vehicles
(Word Document, 12.4 KB)

Ministry of Defence: Procurement

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether competition is required for all his Department’s procurement programmes?

Harriett Baldwin: The National Security Through Technology white paper, which was published in 2012, sets out our overarching procurement principles. This states that, wherever possible, we will seek to fulfil the UK's defence and security requirements through open competition in the domestic and global market.At times, however, the competitive procurement route is not always suitable. For example, where we can only contract with a single supplier because of exclusive Intellectual Property Rights, in times of extreme urgency, or when it is strictly necessary to protect our national security interests.

Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Martin Docherty-Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Boeing Poseidon P-8 aircraft his Department plans to buy broken down by year until 2024.

Harriett Baldwin: The Ministry of Defence has ordered nine P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from the US Government in a Foreign Military Sale arrangement. The UK order forms part of a much larger US order which is being procured in different "lots", and UK aircraft will be delivered as part of "lots" eight, nine and ten. The first RAF aircraft is expected in 2019, with a further four due in 2020 and delivery of the final four scheduled in 2021.

Military Aircraft

Martin Docherty-Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence given to the Defence Select Committee on Tuesday 17 October 2017, on F35 procurement, HC326, if he will  place in the Library details of the Babel Fish III project.

Harriett Baldwin: The specific results of the trial are classified. However, I can set out the overarching aims.Trial Babel Fish III was a communications interoperability trial of an Airborne Gateway. The trial took place in 2016 involving Typhoon aircraft of 41(R) Test & Evaluation Squadron, and F-35 Lightning aircraft of 17(R) Test & Evaluation Squadron.The trial aimed to demonstrate that the Multifunction Advanced Datalink (MADL) datalink used by the 5th Generation F-35 Lightning could communicate with the Link-16 datalink used by the 4th Generation Typhoon. The trial used an airborne communications gateway that is capable of translating the 5th generation messages into the appropriate format so they can be received by a 4th generation platform. This was the first time that this had been tested between our 5th and 4th generation aircraft.

Armed Forces: Funerals

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November to Question 111512 on Armed Forces: funerals, whether he intends to implement the recommendations on the revision of the Army Drill Manual directions for military funerals; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The amended Drill Manual will be available both online and in hard copy. It will be the extant guidance for the Army to follow whenever organising a military funeral.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what due diligence his Department plans to undertake under the new General Service Respirator In Service Support contract before making a final decision on the preferred bidder.

Harriett Baldwin: The General Service Respirator competition, including tender assessment and contract negotiations, is being conducted in line with Departmental standards and policy.

Armed Forces: Officers

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2017 to Question 112465, on armed forces: officers, from which branch of the armed forces the current Military Advisor embedded within HM Treasury Defence Spending Team came.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Royal Navy.

Military Exercises

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2017 to Question 114635, how close to the area in which an exercise, training or selection event is taking place must a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature reading be taken.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: While there is no set distance, a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) should be taken as close to the point that an event is taking place as possible.It should be noted that events are not static and the WBGT reading, which is just part of the dynamic risk assessment, will only be indicative of the conditions during the activity.

Military Exercises

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2017 to Question 114637, in how many cases of heat exhaustion being reported during an exercise, training or selection event was no pause and reassessment carried out by the Commander before deciding to continue or cancel the event.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: This information is not held in the format requested.

Army: Resignations

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many early service leavers left the armed forces in the last 12 months; and how many of those had enlisted when below the age of 18.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: In the 12 months to 30 September 2017, 7,430 trained UK Armed Forces personnel left the Services through Voluntary Outflow, 1,820 of whom had joined the Armed Forces under the age of 18.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to ensure that the General Service Respirator In Service Support contract stipulates that costs over those specified in the contract which are incurred by the company as a result of work to meet contractual obligations fall on that company and not on the public purse.

Harriett Baldwin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 4 December 2017 to Question 116351.



116351 - WQnA extract on Armed Forces Uniforms
(Word Document, 12.65 KB)

Littoral Warfare

Johnny Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proposals are part of the National Security Capability Review on the provision of amphibious over the beach capability without recourse to HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark.

Harriett Baldwin: The Ministry of Defence is unable to comment on the detail of the National Security Capability Review while it is ongoing. No decisions have yet been taken by Ministers.

Army: Staff

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the regular Army’s full-time trade trained strength was in each of the last 12 months

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Defence Statistics regularly publish Armed Forces Personnel statistics. The full time trade trained strength of the Army can be found in table 3c at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-monthly-service-personnel-statistics-2017

Department for Work and Pensions

Personal Independence Payment

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department is required to consider all evidence in support of an individual's application for Personal Independence Payment if that evidence is submitted before the Department's stated deadline for the application.

Sarah Newton: When making their decision, case managers will look at all the available evidence to determine eligibility for PIP. Additional evidence can be submitted at any point up to where the case manager makes a decision. It’s a requirement that the PIP 2 questionnaire is returned within the deadline given, although rules and procedures allow claimants additional time to complete the form where that is reasonably required.

Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2017 to Question 111488, on Department for Work and Pensions: telephone services, which and how many of his Department's phonelines fall within the parameters laid out by Ofcom.

Caroline Dinenage: All calls to the Department for Work and Pensions phone lines fall within the parameters laid out by Ofcom. As at 28th November 2017, there are currently:250 phone lines where the number starts 0345 and 18 phone lines where the number starts 0300;74 phone lines where the number starts 0800 and 4 phone lines where the number starts 0808;298 telephone numbers starting 0845 which are no longer in use. Anyone that dials one of the 0845 numbers will hear a recorded message advising them to redial the relevant alternative number. There is no charge for the call to the 0845 number. In addition, DWP has individual phone lines for members of staff – generally 01 or 02 numbers, although also some mobiles. Calls to these would also fall within the parameters laid out by Ofcom, but there is limited volume of customer traffic direct to these numbers.

Universal Credit: East Renfrewshire

Paul Masterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions how many residents in East Renfrewshire constituency are in receipt of universal credit.

Damian Hinds: The available information on people and households on Universal Credit, by parliamentary constituency, is published and can be found at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/.Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

Universal Credit: Personal Savings

Stephen Kerr: whether savings held in the name of children are taken into account in applications for universal credit.

Damian Hinds: Savings and other capital held in the name of children are not taken into account in the assessment of Universal Credit entitlement. As with other means tested benefits, however, there are rules to prevent claimants depriving themselves of capital in order to claim Universal Credit or increase their entitlement to Universal Credit. If claimants deprive themselves of capital by gifting the capital to their children or placing it in a child’s account, notional capital of the amount deprived may still be taken into account when assessing entitlement to Universal Credit.

Social Security Benefits: Epilepsy

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to undertake a review the effectiveness of the (a) Employment Support Allowance and (b) Personal Independence Payment medical assessments for people with epilepsy.

Sarah Newton: Both assessments are designed to treat all health conditions and disabilities fairly by assessing the functional impact of those conditions and disabilities on an individuals' life rather than focusing on the health condition or disability itself. For, Employment and Support Allowance that is through assessing their capability to work and in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) through their ability to manage daily living or mobility activities.

Working Conditions: VDUs

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to encourage desk-based workers to take time away from computer screens during the working day.

Sarah Newton: The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) website already provides practical guidance for employers on working safely with screen based equipment, which can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/index.htm. It is widely recognised that frequent short breaks from desk-based work can help reduce health issues such as fatigue, eye strain, upper limb problems, backache and mental stress.

Bicycles: Loans

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has plans to (a) advertise and (b) offer bike loan schemes to people using job centres.

Damian Hinds: There are no plans to provide a specific bike loan scheme for job seekers. The Flexible Support Fund may be available for one-off purchases such as a bicycle to remove a barrier for claimants to get to work. The Department for Transport leads on the Cycle to Work Scheme, which is available to employees, and was introduced to promote healthier journeys to work and to reduce environmental pollution.

Employment: Learning Disability

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to where his Department has reallocated funding from the previous Work Programme and Work Choice to increase the employment opportunities of people with learning disability; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Newton: The Work and Health Programme, a new contracted provision that will build on lessons learnt from the Work Programme and Work Choice, will start in England and Wales between November 2017 and March 2018. Disabled people, who will be the majority of referrals, can volunteer for the programme at any time. On Thursday 30 November 2017 we published ‘Improving Lives the Future of Work, Health and Disability’, which sets out details of a lifecourse approach to improving employment opportunities for people with a Learning Disability In addition: We are introducing 200 Community Partners into Jobcentres - these are external appointments with experience of disability who will engage with disabled people, Jobcentre Plus staff and local employers to strengthen the support we offer disabled people seeking work, including those with learning disabilities. Supported Employment “place and train” will be delivered through the Local Supported Employment initiative. A key element of this is the use of Job Carving, which involves working with an employer to create a job which meets the employer’s needs and can be done by a person with a learning disability. The Supported Work Experience proof of concepts will offer young disabled people, including young people with learning disabilities, the opportunity to take part in short work experience placements. Access to Work has put in place a Hidden Impairment Support Team that aims to give advice and guidance to help employers understand how they can support employees with conditions like a Learning Disability. DWP’s Disability Confident campaign has achieved commitments from over 5000 employers. DWP is requiring all its large contractors to be Disability Confident Leaders within 12 months from Jan 2017 and all main Government departments are now signed up to Disability Confident, ensuring that Government’s contracted services become better employers of people with disabilities, including learning disabilities.

Department for Work and Pensions: Correspondence

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all letters and communications it sends to disabled and vulnerable people are accessible and available in easy-read and alternative accessible formats.

Sarah Newton: Where our customers need assistance to access our services and information, we make reasonable adjustments to meet their individual needs. This means the Department communicates with customers in a variety of different formats such as Braille, audio, large print, through third party interpreters or by arranging for a member of staff to visit the customer in their home. The Department is continuously working to improve its written customer communications products, including letters, forms and leaflets, so they are clear and accessible to as many of our customers as possible. We follow accessible design principles, including the use of plain language. Easy Read is available by request for certain kinds of information. As some of our letters are necessarily complex and difficult to translate into an Easy Read format, we support customers in other ways and will discuss the most appropriate method of communication with the customer, to meet their individual needs. We will be making more customer communications products available in Easy Read in 2018.

Personal Independence Payment: Parkinson's Disease

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to review the appropriateness of the 20 metre rule for personal independence payment claimants with Parkinson's Disease; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Newton: We consulted widely and extensively on the assessment criteria for the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) prior to its introduction in April 2013. Furthermore, we carried out an additional consultation between 24 June 2013 and 5 August 2013 on the “Moving around” activity for the mobility component. PIP has been designed to reflect a modern understanding of disability and treat all conditions fairly. We have no plans to review the assessment criteria.

Personal Independence Payment

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department plans to ensure that benefit assessors are equipped with adequate knowledge to assess personal independence payment claimants who present with symptoms of (a) brain tumours and (b) rare and complex conditions.

Sarah Newton: The objective of the PIP assessment is to assess the impact that health conditions and impairments can have on an individual’s daily life. The PIP assessment is not a medical assessment requiring the Health Professional to diagnose a condition or to recommend treatment options. PIP Health Professionals are medically qualified and have received comprehensive training in disability analysis and identifying the effects that health conditions and impairments can have on an individual’s daily life. Health Professionals have access to a range of resources as well as experienced clinicians to support them in assessing claimants with complex conditions. In addition, the Assessment Providers frequently engage with medical experts, charities and relevant stakeholders to strengthen, review and update their training programmes.

Budgeting Loans

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November to Question 115390,  whether people in receipt of (a) income Support, (b) income-related employment and support allowance or (c) income-related jobseeker's allowance who will in future receive universal credit will be permitted to access Social Fund Budgeting Loans.

Caroline Dinenage: Claimants who are in receipt of Income Support, income related Employment and Support Allowance and income based Jobseeker’s Allowance can qualify for a Social Fund Budgeting Loans if the satisfy the eligibility conditions. Claimants in receipt of Universal Credit can qualify for a Universal Credit Budgeting Advance which is also a loan that is interest free and for intermittent expenses such as furniture or household equipment.

Housing Benefit

Michelle Donelan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the 12-month grace period to protect individuals from a reduction in housing benefit when someone who lived with them passes away is being implemented effectively.

Caroline Dinenage: A grace period exists in Housing Benefit to help protect those suffering a bereavement for a period of 12 months. This applies not only in respect of the claimant or their partner but to people linked to them, such as a family member who lives in the same household. This means that housing benefit entitlement is protected from any consequential decrease in their eligible rent for a year from the date of a death. It is however the responsibility of individual local authorities to assess individual benefit claims and apply the specific rules which is laid out in regulations and guidance.

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will continue employment and support allowance payments while mandatory reconsideration decisions are being processed; and will he make a statement.

Sarah Newton: Employment and Support Allowance, in common with all other benefits, is not paid during the Mandatory Reconsideration period as there are no legal grounds to make a payment of Employment and Support Allowance at this time.

Credit Unions

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a further review of the credit union expansion project to examine the possibility of additional changes that would allow credit unions to offer additional financial services.

Guy Opperman: The Association of British Credit Unions (ABCUL) is delivering the Credit Union Expansion Project. Three credit unions are using the banking platform delivered through CUEP though none have signed off to business as usual. There is no plan to make changes to the contract.

Universal Credit

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received on the application of universal credit criteria for those housed in temporary accommodation.

Damian Hinds: We have listened to concerns from Local Authorities and have announced that from April 2018 any new claims for Universal Credit for Claimants in Temporary Accommodation will have their housing costs met through Housing Benefit. This includes all temporary accommodation, not just Emergency Temporary Accommodation. Existing claimants in Temporary Accommodation on Universal Credit will also move to Housing Benefit. This measure is expected to help Local Authorities, who currently see a significant funding shortage when they are placing people into Temporary and emergency accommodation in Universal Credit Full Service areas.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Slaughterhouses

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) animals and (b) poultry killed without first being stunned in the last 12 months for which data is available; and what steps he is taking to reduce those numbers.

George Eustice: Data for the number of animals killed without first being stunned was previously collected through surveys, with the last in 2015. In the last survey during a 4 week period there were 2,614 cattle, 274,464 sheep and 3,421,470 poultry slaughtered without stunning in the UK with a further 9,463,845 poultry birds slaughtered in accordance with religious rites using electrical stunning parameters that are different to those required for mainstream slaughter. At the beginning of this financial year the FSA started collecting data on a regular basis. We do not have data for a full 12 month period, however, in the first quarter of 2017/18 there were 4390 cattle and 758,263 sheep slaughtered without stunning in England and Wales. In the first quarter, there were also 45,396,583 birds which were slaughtered without stunning or using electrical stunning parameters that are different to those required for mainstream slaughter. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not separate out poultry slaughtered without stunning in their data. The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter but respects the right of Jewish and Muslim communities to eat meat prepared in accordance with their beliefs.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to introduce section 24 of the Deregulation Act 2015 on the provision of gates on restricted byways.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: We have not set a timeline for introduction. Drafting of the required statutory instruments is underway after close working with the Stakeholder group

Fisheries

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to develop an independent fisheries policy when the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: The Government has announced plans for a Fisheries Bill in this session, which, combined with our withdrawal from the London Fisheries Convention, will allow us to develop a new UK fishing policy as we leave the EU. This will mean that the UK can control access to, and set quotas for, fish caught in our Exclusive Economic Zone. Defra is currently developing the Fisheries Bill as outlined in the Queen’s Speech.

Fisheries

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for how many stocks the UK has quota/fishing rights within (a) UK waters and (b) EU waters; for how many of those stocks ICES provides scientific advice; and how many of those stocks had catch limits set in line with ICES scientific advice in December 2016.

George Eustice: There are about 120 stock quotas of interest to the UK and which are determined at the December Fisheries Council. All of these extend to both UK and European Union waters except for Clyde herring. Last year ICES provided advice on maximum sustainable yield rates in relation to 45 stocks on which these quotas are based for 2017. The Council of Ministers was able to agree exploitation rates in line with the Maximum Sustainable Yield reference points for 29 of them. ICES provides advice for at least two non-quota stocks of which Bass and Red Mullet are of interest to the UK. For the remaining non-quota stocks, such as most shellfish, ICES does not provide advice.

Air Pollution

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many occasions a representative from the Local Government Association has discussed air quality with the Government at the Central Local Information Partnership in each of the last 8 years.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the secretariat for the Environment subgroup of the Central Local Information Partnership. The focus of the subgroup is to ensure that data provided by local authorities to central government is provided in the most efficient and least burdensome manner. The Department’s records consist of subgroup meeting correspondence from the past five years. These records indicate there have been no specific agenda items tabled or discussions held on air quality at the subgroup’s meetings, which cover a wide range of environmental data collections. There was out-of-meeting correspondence in October 2013 in which the reporting of the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register was discussed. Air quality is one component of this environmental reporting tool.

Veterinary Services: Regulation

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of regulatory costs on the veterinary sector.

George Eustice: The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is responsible for regulating the veterinary sector in accordance with the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. The College levies a registration and annual retention fee, currently £314; and recovers disciplinary costs. In 2016 the total cost to the sector was £7,407,338 for registration and retention fees and £9776 for recovery of disciplinary costs.

Wild Boar

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on how many incidents of attacks by wild boar on humans have taken place in each of the last five years.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Defra does not hold information on the number of incidents of attacks by wild boar on humans.

Heating: Solid Fuels

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has issued guidance on the use of wood-burning stoves and levels of pollution.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Defra recently provided all local councils with a guidance leaflet entitled ‘Open fires and wood burning stoves – A practical guide’ for distribution in their local areas. This provides simple steps that can be followed to reduce the levels of pollution from these sources.

Bottles: Recycling

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with companies producing the drinks Ribena and Lucozade to make their bottles recyclable.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: I met representatives of the soft drinks industry on 24 October to discuss increasing recycling and reducing the littering of drinks containers. A representative of Lucozade Ribena Suntory was present at the meeting. The meeting was to inform our approach to plastic bottles and coffee cups and to support the Voluntary and Economic Incentives Working Group with their inquiry into increasing recycling and reducing littering of on-the-go drinks containers.

Members: Correspondence

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects to reply to my letter of 3 August 2017, requesting a meeting  following my earlier question to the Prime Minister on flooding.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Your letter addressed to the Secretary of State has now been responded to.

Bees

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance his Department has issued to pest control departments of local authorities on infestations of non-protected bee species in (a) residential and (b) commercial properties.

George Eustice: Defra has not provided specific advice to pest control departments of local authorities on infestations of non-protected species. UK Government advice on pest control is available on our website: www.gov.uk/pest-control-on-your-property. This provides links to more detailed guidance produced by the British Pest Control Association, which includes advice on controlling bees and other insects.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Telephone Services

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November to Question 111476, on departmental telephone services, whether the same is the case for services provided by his Department's arms-length bodies.

George Eustice: Defra’s arm’s-length bodies do not promote any public telephone lines that are charged at higher rates. The Environment Agency has retained its 0845 number as a secondary number for the Floodline service to ensure continued access for customers still using the old number. The number is not advertised and callers to the 0845 number are advised of the alternative 03 prefixed number.

Waste Disposal: North East

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many complaints the Environment Agency received about waste transfer sites that accepted waste in 2016 in the North East on (a) all environmental issues, (b) littering and (c) fly-tipping, and how many sites attracted such complaints.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Environment Agency received 6 complaints relating to waste transfer stations in the North East in 2016. Of these, one complaint related to littering and no complaints related to fly-tipping. These complaints related to 9 sites.

Waste Disposal: North East

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many enforcement measures the Environment Agency implemented in (a) the North East and (b) each other English region in relation to breaches of (a) all environmental permits, (b) littering and (c) fly-tipping.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Environment Agency (EA) identified 821 waste permit breaches in its North East operational area in 2016 which required corrective action to be undertaken by waste site operators. The total number of waste permit breaches in England in 2016 was 11,664. The EA does not record this information according to Office of National Statistics English region boundaries. The EA does not hold data for permit breaches in relation to littering and fly-tipping which are the responsibility of local authorities.

Trees: Diseases

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the major disease threats to UK trees, woodlands and forests are; and if he will make a statement?

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The publically available UK Plant Health Risk Register, records and rates risks to UK crops, trees, gardens and ecosystems from plant pests and pathogens. It forms an agreed, evidence based framework for decisions on major pest and disease threats. The major threats to trees include Phytophthora ramorum, emerald ash borer, ash dieback and acute oak decline.

Plants: Disease Control

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what advice his Department gives to garden centres and nurseries on the avoidance of spreading pests and diseases.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Animal and Plant Health Agency delivers a programme of biosecurity education and engagement with the nursery and garden centre sector. This is delivered through visits, trade shows, talks, workshops, publications and partnership working with industry associations. Nurseries and garden centres are made aware of potential trade pathways for the spread of pest and diseases, and the steps they can take to reduce this risk through implementing appropriate biosecurity measures. Topical issues for importers and retailers, are also reported online at:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protecting-plant-health-topical-issues

Floods: Insurance

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the availability of flood insurance for leasehold properties in blocks of four or more homes.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The government remains in close contact with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and BIBA, neither of whom has identified a significant problem for leasehold properties accessing flood insurance. Government is aware that access to insurance remains an issue for a number of leasehold properties in blocks of four or more, where there is particularly high risk. We are following with interest a new service being provided by a BIBA broker which offers to formally vary leasehold agreements in order to give the leaseholder an express obligation to insure the structure of their property, thus allowing the leaseholder to access Flood Re. In addition, the Government continues to work with commercial interests under the Property Level Resilience Roundtable to promote the uptake of measures that make properties, including leasehold properties, more resilient to flooding. Successes include a one-stop shop flood resilience website, demonstration properties in Cumbria and the development of a Code of Practice.

Floods: Insurance

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of small businesses in the British Insurance Brokers’ Association’s new affordable flood insurance scheme.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The British Insurance Broker Association (BIBA) insurance product, launched in December 2016, provides flood insurance for small businesses that have struggled to access it to-date.Since the scheme launched it continues to grow in line with BIBA’s expectations. With a balanced and sensible approach BIBA are now insuring over 150 businesses who have previously had problems accessing insurance. The BIBA scheme also insures against the excess of a policy. This product has been taken up 1,100 times in the past 12 months. Its value was evidenced by last Wednesday’s flooding in Lancaster and Cumbria, where three claims have been reported so far for commercial properties, each with a £25,000 flood excess.

Waste Disposal

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) plastic bottles, (b) disposable coffee cups and (c) takeaway cartons he estimates will be thrown away between 1 December 2017 and 31 March 2018.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: We do not estimate how many plastic bottles, disposable coffee cups and takeaway cups will be thrown away.

Plastics: Pollution

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the primary routes by which single-use plastics enter UK seas and rivers.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: A study in 2016 showed that of the estimated 12.2 million tonnes of plastic entering the global marine environment every year, 9.5 million tonnes (over 80%) came from land based sources. The report identified larger plastic litter, including single use plastics such as drinks bottles, and other types of plastic packaging as the main source of plastics entering the seas. Much of this plastic will have been washed into the seas down rivers. The conclusions of this report are consistent with the findings of UK marine litter monitoring supported by Defra. The two reports can be found at:http://www.eunomia.co.uk/reports-tools/plastics-in-the-marine-environment/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/marine-strategy-part-three-uk-programme-of-measures

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Public Expenditure

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of his Department's overall resource budget for years (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20 and (c) 2020-21, and how will that resource be allocated across different areas.

George Eustice: Following the announcements in the Autumn budget, the Department’s resource budgets (excluding depreciation) and allocations are: £m2018/192019/202020/21Ring-fenced: Official Development Assistance42.745.9n/aRing-fenced: Inshore Fisheries Conservation Areas3.03.0n/aRing-fenced: Air Quality Grant2.02.0n/aRing-fenced: Disallowance58.545.0n/aRing-fenced: Voluntary Exit Schemes14.43.4n/aOther1,420.21,384.4n/aTotal1,540.81,483.7n/a Allocation of the ‘other’ amounts is confirmed on an annual basis. Budgets beyond 2019/20 will be set under future Spending Reviews.

Environment Protection

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 November to Question 113594, what assessment his Department has made of the range of functions carried out by EU bodies on environmental protection, and which of these would end in the UK should the UK cease to be an EU Member State.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: As part of our preparations to leave the EU, we are assessing the functions carried out by EU bodies on environmental protection. Our future relationship with the EU is still to be determined and is the subject of negotiations. This will include discussions over our future status and relationship with these bodies and their environmental functions.

Animal Welfare: Sentencing

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the draft bill to increase the sentence for animal cruelty will be available for public consultation.

George Eustice: As announced on 30 September, draft legislation to increase the maximum penalty for animal cruelty to five years will be published for consultation around the turn of the year.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will retain the three-crop rule in any future agricultural payment scheme after the UK has left the EU.

George Eustice: As announced in the Queen’s Speech, we intend to introduce an Agriculture Bill in this parliamentary session. This Bill will support a thriving and self-reliant farming sector and deliver on the manifesto commitment to provide stability for farmers as we leave the European Union. The Three-Crop Rule is the type of well-meaning but ineffective rule that we want to review in favour of better environmental outcomes. The Government plans to consult ahead of the introduction of the Agriculture Bill. This will allow us to take on views from interested groups and individuals.

Environment Protection

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Government plans to spend on flood and coastal erosion risk management in England in each of the next five years.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The figures below detail planned Government capital spending on flood and coastal erosion risk management in England. Contributions to flood or coastal defence improvements from other sources are not included. Budgets for 2021-22 and beyond have not been set. Year£ million2017/18413.02018/19450.42019/20490.02020/21459.0   In addition to the capital spending outlined above, we will be spending over £1 billion on the maintenance of flood defence assets between 2015 and 2020. The figures in the (above) table vary from the published spending figures due to the autumn 2017 budget announcements, where an additional £76 million was allocated.

Landfill: South East

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of waste collections in (a) Kent, (b) Surrey, (c) East Sussex, (d) West Sussex and (e) Hampshire went to landfill in 2015-16.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Information on the collection and management of all local authority waste for England, including figures for individual local authorities, are published on an annual basis. Latest published figures are for 2015/16 and are given below. Local authorityProportion of all local authority waste sent to landfill in 2015/16 (per cent)Kent County Council6.5Surrey County Council6.0East Sussex County Council5.3West Sussex County Council36.6Hampshire County Council6.1

Department for Communities and Local Government

Department for Communities and Local Government: Fraud

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) fraud and (b) financial error in (i) his Department, (ii) its executive agencies and (iii) its non-departmental public bodies in each year from 2015.

Mr Marcus Jones: The cost of a) fraud and b) error to the Department and its agencies is zero, since all identified fraud losses have been recovered subsequently. In the instances of 'error', which is generally caused by internal employee payment issues, the Department recovers these losses through payroll so there is no outstanding cost to the Department or its agencies to report.

Energy: Non-domestic Rates

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which energy generation technologies are exempted from business rates in England and Wales.

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of business rate rises on levels of deployment of rooftop solar power for self-consumption.

Mr Marcus Jones: Business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. We have put in place a £3.6 billion transitional relief scheme for England to support ratepayers, including those in the solar power sector, at the 2017 revaluation. The transitional relief scheme has capped annual increases in rate bills due to the revaluation.The Valuation for Rating (Plant and Machinery) (England) Regulations 2000 set out which energy generation technologies are subject to business rates.

Housing: Construction

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government,  whether the remit of Homes England includes housing regeneration in areas of low housing demand.

Alok Sharma: As the Chancellor set out in the Autumn Budget, the Homes and Community Agency will expand to become Homes England, bringing together money, expertise, and planning and compulsory purchase powers, with a clear remit to facilitate delivery of sufficient new homes, where they are most needed, to deliver a sustained improvement in affordability. As part of its remit, Homes England will work closely with combined authorities on their Housing Deals and will play an important role in supporting the Infrastructure Plan, Industrial Strategy and Local Growth Strategies.

Housing: Construction

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding his Department plans to allocate to Homes England for the (a) identification and (b) clearing of sites suitable for housing developments.

Alok Sharma: The recent Autumn Budget demonstrated this Government's determination to fix our broken housing market. It announced £15.3 billion of new financial support for housing over the next five years, bringing the total support for housing over this period to £44 billion.Of the new financial support announced, some £4.8 billion will be used for interventions on land, including relating to identification and clearing sites - £2.7 billion for the Housing Infrastructure fund , £1.1 billion for a Land Assembly Fund, £630 million aimed at tackling smaller stalled sites and £400 million for tackling our run down estates. The precise use these funds will be put to, will come through engagement with places to identify the barriers to delivering housing in their areas, and the specific sites and opportunities brought forward.

Derelict Land

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to  reduce further the regulatory barriers to housebuilding on brownfield land.

Alok Sharma: The Housing White Paper set out the Government’s ambitious programme to bring brownfield land back into use in England. We have already introduced a requirement for local planning authorities to publish a statutory brownfield land register by the end of 2017, which will identify which previously developed sites are suitable for housing. Local authorities will be able to grant permission in principle, on suitable sites in their registers. This will provide early certainty about the suitability of sites for housing-led development before detailed and often costly development proposals need to be provided. Permission in principle will reduce risk for developers and improve the efficiency of the planning process for the benefit of all users.It is our intention to introduce permission in principle by application for small sites later in the year, and we expect this will be a particularly helpful tool for small and medium sized builders developing on brownfield land.

Rented Housing: Homelessness

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to evaluate the effectiveness of the access programme announced in the Budget 2017 to help homeless people to rent accommodation.

Mr Marcus Jones: The £20 million fund to help homeless people access private rented sector accommodation forms an important part of our work to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. We will share further details of the scheme in due course.

Leasehold: Unfair Practices

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish the results of his Department’s consultation on tackling unfair practices in the leasehold market; and if he will make a statement.

Alok Sharma: The Government’s consultation, Tackling unfair practices in the leasehold market, considered a number of issues within the leasehold sector including the sale of new built leasehold houses, and onerous ground rents. The consultation also sought views on what further areas of leasehold reform should be prioritised and why.The public consultation, which closed on 19 September, received around 6,000 replies. We are carefully analysing the responses, and will issue the Government response very shortly.

Homelessness: Liverpool City Region

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of the £28m announced in the Autumn Budget for housing first pilot schemes to tackle homelessness will be allocated to Liverpool City Region.

Mr Marcus Jones: At Autumn budget £28 million of funding was announced to pilot the Housing First approach for the country’s most entrenched rough sleepers. The pilots will cover the West Midlands Combined Authority, Greater Manchester, and the Liverpool City Region.The exact allocation to the areas will be subject to on-going work with the regions and refinement of the scope of the pilots. DCLG are in regular contact with officials in the Liverpool City Region and will continue to work closely with them going forward.

High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding has been awarded to local authoiities for the improvement of fire safety in their housing stock since the Grenfell Tower disaster.

Alok Sharma: Holding answer received on 04 December 2017



Building owners are responsible for funding fire safety measures in their buildings. If a local authority building owner considers a building to be unsafe, they will need to determine what measures are essential to make a building safe, based on expert advice and taking into account any recommendations or advice from the local fire and rescue service.Local authorities should draw on existing resources to implement these measures. However, we will consider the removal of financial restrictions for local authorities where these stand in the way of essential work being done.36 local authorities have contacted the Department regarding work to ensure fire safety in tower blocks. We have asked 9 of these authorities to provide more detailed information about essential works. So far, 2 authorities have provided this information and my officials are working with them on their requests.

Local Plans: Calderdale

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has the power to redraft the local plan for Calderdale council.

Alok Sharma: In his Written Statement of 16 November 2017 (HCWS254), the Secretary of State announced his intention to commence the formal intervention process with 15 local authorities who have not adopted a Local Plan since 2004, including Calderdale. These authorities have until 31 January 2018 to explain why they have failed to adopt a plan and what they will put in place to speed up plan production.

Right to Buy Scheme

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many houses have been sold under right to buy in each year since 2010 in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands, (c) the City of Wolverhampton local authority area and (d) Wolverhampton North East Constituency.

Alok Sharma: The Government publishes quarterly Right to Buy sales by local authorities in Table 691 (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-social-housing-sales). The data is not broken down at a constituency level.

Social Rented Housing: Construction

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homes for social rent have been built  in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands, (c) City of Wolverhampton local authority area and (d) Wolverhampton North East constituency in each year since 2010.

Alok Sharma: Figures on the numbers of homes built for social rent by local authority are available in live table 1006C. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housing-supplyFigures are not available at constituency level.

Department for International Development

Developing Countries: Pneumonia

Jared O'Mara: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to help end childhood deaths from pneumonia by 2030.

Alistair Burt: The UK is the largest donor to Gavi, the global vaccine alliance that provides developing countries with Pneumococcol to vaccinate against pneumonia. 109 million children were vaccinated between 2010 and 2016, thanks to Gavi’s support, saving an estimated 762,000 lives.DFID supports Gavi’s Pneumococcol Advanced Market commitment which reduces costs, enabling 58 countries to introduce vaccinations. We also support countries to build stronger health systems that can respond to existing disease burdens and emerging health issues, including pneumonia.

Developing Countries: Children

Jared O'Mara: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ending preventable child deaths by 2030.

Alistair Burt: The UK Government has committed to saving 1.4 million children’s lives by immunising 76 million children against killer diseases by 2020. Through the Ross Fund we are leading a major new global research programme. This will accelerate the development of vaccines and drugs to eliminate some of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, as well as saving lives from malaria and TB.DFID supports countries to build stronger health systems, which will be able to respond to the existing disease burden and emerging health issues.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much and what proportion of spending on adaptation in countries receiving finance from the International Climate Fund has been on health-related adaptation.

Rory Stewart: In 2016, the UK spent directly £411 million on programmes to help countries build their resilience and adapt to climate change and a further £371 million on programmes to support sustainable development and help reduce their carbon emissions. Of this, £12 million (1%) was on projects specifically targeting health and a further £370 million (47%) through programmes which may also have health benefits, such as on clean energy, agriculture, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene programmes.

Palestinians: Terrorism

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Palestinian Authority and her department, what discussions her department has had with the PA concerning the official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida’s description on 27 September 2017 of the Har Adar terrorist attack as an operation and the terrorist as a martyr.

Alistair Burt: The UK Government deplores any act of incitement to violence; I raised the issue of incitement with senior Palestinian counterparts during my visit to the region in August. Our partnership with the Palestinian Authority includes a commitment from the Palestinian leadership to adhere to the principle of non-violence and to tackle language and avoid actions that could incite violence or hatred. The UK continues to urge the Palestinian leadership to uphold this principle.

Palestinians: Antisemitism

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Palestinian Authority and her department, what discussions her department has had with the PA concerning the rebroadcast on Palestinian TV of a 1996 TV show which described Jews as wicked, oppressors and evil”.

Alistair Burt: The UK Government deplores any act of incitement to violence; I raised the issue of incitement with senior Palestinian counterparts during my visit to the region in August. Our partnership with the Palestinian Authority includes a commitment from the Palestinian leadership to adhere to the principle of non-violence and to tackle language and avoid actions that could incite violence or hatred. The UK continues to urge the Palestinian leadership to uphold this principle.

HM Treasury

Working Tax Credit: Lewisham Deptford

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been paid in working tax credits to people in Lewisham Deptford constituency in each year since 2013.

Elizabeth Truss: Information on the amounts paid in Working Tax Credit to people in the Lewisham Deptford constituency in each year since 2013 can only be provided at disproportionate cost. Statistics on personal tax credits, including those entitled to Working Tax Credit, is produced at constituency level and published in Table 3 here:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/622524/Child_and_Working_Tax_Credits_statistics_finalised_annual_awards_-_geographical_analysis_2015_to_2016.pdfThis includes information on tax credit entitlements.

Plastics: Waste Disposal

Holly Lynch: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 37 of the Autumn Budget 2017, by what date he plans tax system changes or charges to be implemented to reduce the amount of single-use plastics waste.

Andrew Jones: At the Budget, the Chancellor announced his intention to publish a call for evidence to examine whether the tax system or charges can be used to reduce the amount of single-use plastic we waste. The government will outline how it plans to proceed once we have analysed the responses to this call for evidence.

Public Expenditure

Jon Trickett: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which Department will have oversight of the Balance Sheet Review announced in Autumn Budget 2017.

Elizabeth Truss: HM Treasury will have oversight of the Balance Sheet Review. The Treasury will work closely with other government departments in carrying out the Review.

Public Service Leadership Academy

Jon Trickett: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the associated costs of (a) setting up and (b) running the Public Service Leadership Academy.

Elizabeth Truss: The government will establish a taskforce of outstanding leaders from the public and private sector to advice on the role, remit and responsibilities of the Academy. The operating model of the academy – including costs – will be determined, in part, by the recommendations of the taskforce. The taskforce will take full consideration of value for money when making design decisions.

Biofuels: Excise Duties

Emma Hardy: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of taxing bioethanol energy content rather than volume; and if he will make a statement.

Emma Hardy: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the merits of taxing bioethanol on the basis of energy content rather than volume; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones: Support for bioethanol is informed by the provisions of the Renewable Energy and Energy Tax Directives. Together these have prompted support through a market based mechanism rather than the tax system. For further information about the government’s approach I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the member for Hereford and South Herefordshire (Jesse Norman) on 13 September 2017, UIN 8877.

Infrastructure: Leigh

Jo Platt: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential economic benefit to Leigh constituency of improving the local infrastructure and connectivity to regional hubs; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Platt: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to improve the economy of Leigh constituency

Jo Platt: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will undertake to review the Leigh economy to establish how productivity, industry and infrastructure can be improved.

Andrew Jones: Addressing productivity across the country is at the heart of the government’s economic plan. Leigh is already benefiting from devolution to Greater Manchester, which has included an additional £30m per year over the next 30 years for local priorities, and a £300m housing investment fund. Greater Manchester has also received over £500m from the Local Growth Fund. We recently launched our Industrial Strategy to set out a long- term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK.The government recognises the benefit of improving local infrastructure and connectivity to regional hubs. As a constituency of Greater Manchester, Leigh will benefit from £243 million from a new £1.7 billion Transforming Cities Fund to invest in transport projects.Government will also work in partnership with Greater Manchester to develop a local industrial strategy, based on robust evidence, focussed on raising skills, backing business and building on opportunities across the city region.

Employee Benefit Trusts: Regulation

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will undertake a review the regulation of employee benefit trusts following representations made on behalf of the Roadchef Employees Benefit Trust.

Mel Stride: I refer the Hon Member to my written answer of 5 July 2017 (UIN 1465).

Boats: Customs Unions

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to ensure that recreational boats placed on the market can attain Union Goods status after the UK leaves the EU.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how the Department plans to ensure that recreational boats travelling from the UK to the EU with non-Union goods status can benefit from temporary admission relief on VAT and duty after the UK leaves the EU.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to ensure that recreational boaters whose vessels have Union Goods status are able to prove that status when travelling between the UK and EU member states after the UK leaves the EU.

Mel Stride: The future customs rules for goods moving between the UK and the EU, including for arrangements relating to recreational boats, will depend on the outcome of negotiations with the EU. The Government is engaging with stakeholders affected by EU Exit in every sector and region of the UK economy to assess the effect of EU Exit on them.

Non-domestic Rates

Bim Afolami: Whether his Department plans to review the business rates system.

Mel Stride: The government undertook the last fundamental review of business rates in 2016 and announced major reforms worth approx. £9bn to businesses by the end of the parliament. At Autumn Budget 2017, the government delivered more support on business rates including businesses’ top priorities to bring forward the switch to CPI indexation, revalue properties more frequently and to address the staircase tax. As a next step, the government is also reviewing the wider taxation of the digital economy. This includes ensuring international corporate tax rules deliver fair results across different businesses and that sellers operating through online marketplaces pay the right amount of VAT.

Partnerships: Scotland

Frank Field: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to requiring Scottish Limited Partnerships with offshore partners to file tax returns with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

Mel Stride: HMRC are already able to require a partnership carrying on a trade, profession or business to make a tax return. HMRC would require a partnership (including a Scottish Limited Partnership) to make a return where there is partnership income that is taxable in the UK in the hands of one or more of the partners. A return must include a statement of the amount of income or loss for that period, together with the allocation of the income or loss between the partners, including those overseas.

Partnerships: Scotland

Frank Field: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount of (a) money laundered and (b) tax avoided by Scottish Limited Partnerships in each of the last 5 years.

Mel Stride: The information requested is not available. Information on money laundering can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/655198/National_risk_assessment_of_money_laundering_and_terrorist_financing_2017_pdf_web.pdfInformation on tax gaps can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/655097/HMRC-measuring-tax-gaps-2017.pdf

Appleby: Disclosure of Information

Frank Field: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to check the legality of the tax schemes detailed in the Paradise Papers.

Mel Stride: HMRC takes all reports of potential tax underpayment seriously, and thoroughly analyse and investigate any information that they receive. Where there is suspected potential tax fraud, HMRC will not hesitate to work with their prosecuting partners to bring cases before the courts.Since 2010, HMRC has generated more than £160 billion of additional yield from tackling tax avoidance, evasion and non-compliance.

Pensioners: Income Tax

Alex Cunningham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people aged 65 or over paid income tax at the (a) higher and (b) additional rate in the most recent year for which data is available.

Mel Stride: An estimate of numbers of taxpayers aged 65 or over who are liable at the higher or additional rates of tax in the year 2014-15 are shown below: 2014-15: income taxpayers liable at higher or additional rates of taxAgeNumber of individuals (Thousands) Higher RateAdditional Rate65 and over50630 These estimates are based on the 2014-15 Survey of Personal Incomes.

Tax Avoidance

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he had had with his international counterparts on progress on the OECD's Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project.

Mel Stride: The Chancellor of the Exchequer and other Treasury Ministers continue to meet with their international counterparts on a regular basis, including at G20 meetings, to monitor the progress of implementation of the BEPS project recommendations.

Individual Savings Accounts

John Healey: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of annual spend on the (a) Help to Buy ISA in each financial year between 2015-16 and 2020/21 and (b) Lifetime ISA in each financial year between 2017-18 and 2020-21.

Stephen Barclay: The information requested is available from the Office of Budget Responsibility in their Economic and Fiscal Outlook. The most recent version of this document can be found at: http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/efo/economic-fiscal-outlook-november-2017/

Fuels: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to review the areas in Northern Ireland that qualify for the rural fuel duty rebate scheme in light of the availability of cheaper fuel in the Irish Republic?

Andrew Jones: When the government proposed the rural fuel rebate scheme, it set out certain criteria for which areas would qualify, in order to present a robust case to the European Commission for state aid approval. The government has no plans to make changes to the mainland rural fuel rebate scheme, since amendments to the scheme now would require a further state aid approval process with the European Commission. However, the government recognises that fuel costs remain a significant part of business and household costs, particularly in rural areas. That is why at Autumn Budget 2017, the Government announced the main rate of fuel duty would remain frozen for the eighth successive year, which should benefit rural drivers as well as the wider motoring population, saving the average driver £160 every year compared to the pre-2010 fuel duty escalator plans.

Unemployment

Emma Reynolds: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to reduce unemployment in constituencies with high levels of unemployment.

Elizabeth Truss: In 2010 we inherited the UK’s largest deficit since the second world war at 9.9% of GDP. We set out a clear framework to restore confidence in the economy and reduce the deficit which has fallen by three quarters. At just 4.3% our unemployment rate is at its lowest in over 40 years and down from 8.0% in 2010. The economy is now operating with near record high employment and more than 70% of the increase to employment since 2010 has been outside of London. The government is proud of this record but not complacent. That is why we have introduced new targeted employment support to help young people, people with disabilities and the long-term unemployed this year. We are also committed to building strong city regions led by elected mayors. Devolution deals have given a number of areas greater involvement in the provision of localised and targeted employment support.

Stamp Duty Land Tax: Wolverhampton

Emma Reynolds: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many properties sold in 2016 in Wolverhampton were below the stamp duty threshold.

Mel Stride: In 2016, there were 3,600 property transactions in the Wolverhampton Local Authority which were below the stamp duty land tax threshold.

Tax Avoidance: EU Law

Tonia Antoniazzi: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK will benefit from the implementation of the EU's Tax Avoidance Directive in 2019.

Mel Stride: The agreement of the Anti Tax Avoidance Directive in 2016 was an important step and demonstrates the Government’s commitment to fighting tax avoidance. All Member States are required to apply these measures, with the UK having already implemented many of them. This will help ensure a consistent approach to tackling tax avoidance. The UK will continue to engage with our international partners, including within the EU, to further tackle these issues.

Financial Services: Liability

Alex Sobel: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on the introduction of the duty of care; and what the (a) process and (b) timescale is for introducing the Duty of Care.

Stephen Barclay: The government believes that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the UK’s independent conduct regulator for the financial services industry, is best placed to evaluate the merits of a duty of care for financial services providers. We therefore welcome the FCA’s commitment to publish a Discussion Paper on the subject, which the FCA plans to publish after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

Emergency Services: Scotland

Gerard Killen: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, will he give a commitment to refund all VAT paid by Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to date.

Mel Stride: Autumn Budget 2017 announced the government’s intention to amend legislation so that Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will be eligible for VAT refunds. This change will be enacted through Finance Bill 2017-18.

National Productivity Investment Fund

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to line 21 of table 2.1 of Autumn Budget 2017, from which allocation of capital spend the £7 billion in year 2022-23 has been re-allocated

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to line 21 of table 2.1 of Autumn Budget 2017, from which allocation of capital spend the £7 billion in year 2022-23 has been re-allocated.

Elizabeth Truss: At the recent Budget we extended the National Productivity Investment Fund for an extra year and increased it from £23bn to £31bn The extension into 2022/2023 by £7 billion reflects Government’s sustained commitment to addressing our productivity challenges, by providing additional investment into areas that are critical for boosting productivity: transport, digital communications, R&D and housing. Funding in 2022/23 is not reallocated from an existing allocation of capital spend.

Revenue and Customs and Treasury: Liverpool Walton

Dan Carden: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what property (a) his Department and (b) HM Revenue and Customs (I) leases or (ii) owns in Liverpool Walton constituency.

Mel Stride: Neither HM Treasury nor HM Revenue and Customs lease or own any property in the Liverpool Walton constituency.

Revenue and Customs: Liverpool Walton

Dan Carden: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff HM Revenue and Customs employ in Liverpool Walton constituency.

Mel Stride: There are no HM Revenue and Customs offices located in the Liverpool Walton constituency.

Northern Ireland Office

Electoral Register: Northern Ireland

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the change in the level of voter registration in Northern Ireland in the period for which data is most recently available; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: Voter registration in Northern Ireland is an operational matter for the Chief Electoral Officer and details of annual registration activity for Northern Ireland are contained in the annual Report of the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland. The report for 2016/17 was laid before Parliament on 19 October 2017 and can be accessed at:www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-of-the-chief-electoral-officer-for-northern-ireland-2016-17

Northern Ireland Office: Brexit

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the (a) number of officials to be employed by his Department and (b) his Department's payroll in (i) 2018, (ii) 2019, (iii) 2020, (iv) 2021 and (v) 2022 as a result of the UK leaving EU.

Chloe Smith: EU exit affects a number of work areas across my Department and will therefore encompass a proportion of workload for many staff, the amount of which will vary over time.The number of officials employed by my department is kept under regular review to ensure we have the appropriate resources to manage the departure from the EU.Given the interactions between EU exit work and the Department’s other priorities, it would not be possible to give a year by year figure.

Department for International Trade

World Trade Organisation

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 21 November 2017 to Question 113264, if his Department will undertake an impact assessment of the implications for UK trade in relation to each trade remedy that will potentially be agreed with the WTO after the UK leaves the EU.

Greg Hands: Trade remedies allow WTO members to operate a safety net and protect domestic industry from injury caused by unfair trading practices, such as dumped or subsidised imports, or unforeseen surges in imports. The Taxation (Cross-Border Trade) Bill and Trade Bill set out the UK’s proposed trade remedies system: that an independent body, Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), will investigate cases and propose measures to tackle injury to UK industry caused by such trading practices.We have published an impact assessment on the trade remedies framework set out in the Taxation (Cross-Border Trade) Bill, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/taxation-cross-border-trade-billThe TRA will not conduct an impact assessment on each measure proposed. However, the system will apply an economic interest test as part of each investigation to take into account wider economic considerations alongside the need to correct injury to UK industry. This will consider whether proposed measures might have a disproportionate impact on other economic actors in the UK, such as downstream users and consumers. This is similar to the European Union Interest Test.

Department for International Trade: Telephone Services

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to Answer of 17 November 2017 to Question 111483, on Department for International Trade: telephone services, whether that Answer refers to all of his Department's public telephone lines.

Greg Hands: Yes. The public telephone lines for the Department for International Trade can be found on the Department’s website at www.gov.uk/dit. The numbers provided on the website are not charged at a higher rate than standard.

Overseas Trade

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans he has to support UK (a) business, (b) technology and (c) cyber-security consultancies to gain access to developing markets overseas.

Mark Garnier: The Department for International Trade (DIT) supports the UK's world-leading business, technology and cyber-security consultancies to succeed in the global marketplace, including developing markets. On the 1 December 2017, my noble Friend the Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion (Baroness Rona Fairhead) launched the DIT Export Strategy, focusing on where government can make a real difference to UK companies looking to trade overseas, in line with the recently published Industrial Strategy. This will incorporate access to finance and insurance offered by UK Export Finance.DIT's Defence & Security Organisation (DSO) have a cyber security export team, led by the UK Cyber Security Ambassador, that seeks to promote UK cyber security expertise and capability for commercial and national security objectives. UK cyber security exports were valued at c.£1.5 billion in 2016, forecast to rise to c.£2.7 billion by 2021. DIT supports UK cyber security companies to secure and grow their overseas sales and will publish a refreshed Cyber Security Export Strategy shortly.

Overseas Trade

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress his Department has made on supporting UK investment banks to break into emerging markets.

Mark Garnier: Working closely with our colleagues at HM Treasury and where industry has appetite, the Department for International Trade here and overseas is supporting UK (investment) banks and other financial institutions with market access and outward direct investment. In particular, the Economic Financial Dialogues and our regular engagement in China, Brazil and India has contributed to some notable developments. Most recently, China announced on November 10 that they will open up their laws in banking and other financial services to allow majority foreign ownership.

Imports: Israeli Settlements

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what his Department's policy is on imports from companies based in illegal Israeli settlements.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions has he had with his counterpart in Israel on imports of produce grown in illegal settlements.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans his Department has to exclude imports from illegal settlements from future multilateral and bilateral trade deals.

Mark Garnier: The UK and Israel have a strong and important trading relationship. However, we do not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories as part of Israel and indeed it is not covered by the current EU-Israel Association Agreement which governs our trade with Israel.We are looking across the board to ensure a smooth transition for existing EU trade agreements in the region, and that will include the EU-Israel Association Agreement as well as the Interim Association Agreement with the Palestinian Authority.

Trade Agreements

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of trade negotiations that will be required after the UK leaves the EU.

Greg Hands: The final financial implications of negotiating new trade deals will depend on policy decisions yet to be taken. The Department will continue to invest the necessary resources to develop the policy and legislative plans for new trade deals alongside its wider preparations for EU Exit.

Department for International Trade: Brexit

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the oral contribution of the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union to the House of Lords European Union Committee on 31 October, how many civil servants his Department (a) has recruited and (b) expects to recruit to work on leaving the EU.

Greg Hands: Leaving the European Union is an all-of-government operation. The Department for Exiting the European Union is doing detailed work with departments to prepare for the upcoming negotiations by understanding the risks and opportunities of leaving the EU and coordinating planning. Given the interactions between EU exit work and the Department’s other priorities, it would not be possible to give a specific figure.

Department for International Trade: Legatum Institute

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what meetings Ministers of his Department have had with representatives of the Legatum Institute in the last 12 months.

Greg Hands: Details of the meetings held by DIT Ministers are published on the Gov.UK website and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-international-trade&publication_type=transparency-data

Trade Promotion

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 27 November 2017 on trade matters,  HCWS271, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of appointing the nine Her Britannic Majesty's Trade Commissioners.

Greg Hands: Holding answer received on 04 December 2017



The department has budgeted for up to £80,000 for the recruitment of Her Britannic Majesty’s Trade Commissioners. This includes candidate attraction, recruitment and assessment costs.These activities are standard procedure for senior positions across government and will ensure we attract a wide and diverse candidate field and appropriately test key leadership behaviours and technical expertise for these flagship roles.

Energy Intensive Industries: Trade Agreements

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to his written statement of 28 November 2017, HCWS273, on trade remedies, what recent representations he has received from energy intensive industries on the implementation of trade remedy measures and any changes to those measures after the UK leaves the EU.

Greg Hands: The Department has engaged extensively with business organisations via roundtables, written correspondence, bilaterals and Ministerial meetings and has incorporated a wide range of business viewpoints in developing a trade remedies framework.To date, the Department for International Trade has received representations from 19 organisations in, or on behalf of, energy intensive industries regarding the implementation of trade remedy measures, and any changes to those measures after the UK leaves the EU.Representations were received in response to the White Paper “Preparing for a future UK trade policy”, and as part of the Department’s ongoing stakeholder engagement on a future UK trade remedies regime.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Gambling and Alcoholic Drinks: Addictions

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help professional sports-persons avoid or lose their addiction to gambling and alcohol.

Tracey Crouch: The mental health of professional and elite sportspeople is a matter of importance to government. As set out in the government’s sport strategy Sporting Future, Baroness Grey-Thompson was tasked to carry out a review of the duty of care sport owes to its participants. That report was published earlier this year and covered a number of important issues including mental health. We are considering the review’s findings and recently hosted two roundtable meetings involving sportspeople and people from mental health and sport organisations to explore how sport could improve its offer of mental health support for elite and professional sportspeople. Professional players' associations (such as the Professional Footballers' Association or Professional Cricketers' Association) are well placed to raise awareness amongst their members about gambling and alcohol addiction, and to provide support to those that need it. Organisations like the Sporting Chance Clinic are also available to provide support to current and former sportspeople with emotional welfare and addictive disorders. People with alcohol or gambling problems can also access services in primary care and secondary care, including specialised mental health and addiction services. Any decisions on the commissioning of effective treatment services are the responsibility of local authorities based on an assessment of local need. A range of services available to problem gamblers and support for those with problems with alcohol can be found on the NHS Choices website.

Channel Four Television: Location

Gareth Snell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Stoke-on-Trent City Council on the potential relocation of Channel 4 outside of London.

Matt Hancock: We received a number of submissions to the Channel 4 regional consultation from individuals and local authorities across the UK, including from Stoke-on-Trent City Council. No decisions have been taken. We will set out next steps in due course.

Broadband: East Renfrewshire

Paul Masterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Department of Digital, Media and Culture what steps the Government is taking to tacke low levels of broadband connectivity in (a) Uplawmoor and (b) Eaglesham in East Renfrewshire.

Matt Hancock: The Government provided £100.8m from Phase 1 of the Superfast Broadband Programme to support superfast broadband coverage in Scotland. This has been delivered through the Highlands & Islands broadband project and the Digital Scotland project which covers the Rest of Scotland. The Government provided £20.99m additional funding in February 2014 to support a Phase 2 project in Scotland to provide further superfast broadband coverage. The Scottish Government has not yet begun the procurement process using this funding and is not expecting to have agreed a contract until December 2018. We are doing all we can to speed this up. For all premises which do not have superfast broadband coverage, the UK Government will ensure universal broadband of at least 10Mbps.

Charities

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what account she plans to take of the importance of youth full-time social action in her Civil Society Strategy.

Tracey Crouch: The Civil Society Strategy will reaffirm the value that government places on civil society and explore what more government can do to support its work. It will provide an opportunity to explore ways to build new partnerships within and between sectors and communities in order to better mobilise resources and expertise and find practical new solutions to the problems we face. A listening exercise will be launched in the new year and findings reported later in the 2018. We will engage young people and youth organisations in the development of the Strategy. The Full Time Social Action Review is independent of government and will publish its findings in December 2017, in time to take account of their recommendations in the Civil Society Strategy.

Mortgages: Marketing

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with (a) industry representatives and (b) other stakeholders on the regulation of the (i) advertising and (ii) marketing of Equity Release and Lifetime Mortgages.

Matt Hancock: The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the UK's regulator of advertising and seeks to ensure that all adverts, wherever they appear, are legal, decent, honest and truthful. Although the regulatory system is independent of government we have regular meetings with the ASA to discuss their work on a broad range of topics.

Sports: Finance

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that funding reaches sporting organisations at a grassroots level.

Tracey Crouch: Government's Sporting Future strategy, published in December 2015, set out that in future, all funding for grassroots sport should deliver five key outcomes; physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing, social and community development, individual development and economic development. Sport England are government's arms length body with responsibility for grassroots sport. Sport England invest lottery and exchequer funding on behalf of government to get more people from every background involved in sport and physical activity. Sport England launched its own strategy, Towards an Active Nation in 2016. Since then it has awarded £532 million across a wide range of projects and organisations, many receiving investment for the first time.  A list of Sport England’s investment programmes, with descriptions and key dates, can be found on its website at: www.sportengland.org/funding/funding-key-dates/

Cybercrime: Small Businesses

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to help small and medium-sized enterprises to improve cyber security training and competency.

Matt Hancock: We are committed to making the UK the safest place in the world to live and do business online. This includes ensuring all UK organisations - including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - are resilient to cyber threats. A number of Government online cyber security training packages are available free of charge, including one specifically for SMEs. In addition, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) launched a new Cyber Security Small Business Guide in October 2017, which provides quick, easy and low-cost cyber security advice to small businesses. A series of short videos, based on the guide, will be released shortly and further campaigns will follow next year. Cyber Essentials, the Government-backed certification scheme, has also refreshed its website to make it more accessible to SMEs.

Youth Development Fund

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to extend Youth Development Fund grants to deprived areas beyond England.

Tracey Crouch: Government is investing £40 million through the Youth Investment and #iwill Funds to increase opportunities for young people to develop skills and undertake social action. This money is being matched by the Big Lottery Fund to create an £80million investment in young people. As this is a devolved policy area the UK Government only has the legal authority to fund projects that benefit England.

Charity Commission

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with charity representatives on the appointment of the next Chair of the Charity Commission in line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments.

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has assessed the potential implications of appointing a former Minister as Chair of the Charity Commission.

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Prime Minister’s Office has had any involvement in the appointment of the next Chair of the Charity Commission.

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that the next Chair of the Charity Commission upholds public trust and confidence in the Charity Commission.

Tracey Crouch: Recruitment of a new Chair for the Charity Commission for England and Wales is currently underway. In line with the requirements of the Governance Code for Public Appointments, the appointment is made on merit following fair and open competition. The preferred candidate will be required to attend a pre-appointment hearing before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. It would not be appropriate to comment further whilst the recruitment process is ongoing.

European Capital of Culture

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the total (a) cost and (b) man-hours relating to her Department on the preparation of guidance and application information for cities wishing to become European Capital of Culture 2023.

Matt Hancock: The guidance and application information for the European Capital of Culture 2023 competition were both produced by the European Commission so there was no cost to the UK Government.

Bayeaux Tapestry

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent representations she has received about the UK temporarily hosting the Bayeux Tapestry.

John Glen: We are aware of the Honourable Member’s support for the UK temporarily housing the Bayeux Tapestry. Cultural exchanges between France and the UK are flourishing, and we want to ensure they continue to do so. Individual loans are a matter for the relevant institutions, but I shall certainly register with my French counterpart the willingness of UK museums to host the Tapestry, should a suitable opportunity arise.

Young People

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for what reasons her Department has not produced a stand-alone youth policy statement.

Tracey Crouch: DCMS conducted a series of regional workshops earlier this year with representatives from the youth sector, local authorities and young people to discuss current issues and opportunities for youth policy. The recently announced Civil Society Strategy will build on this previous work and provide an opportunity to explore ways to build new partnerships within and between sectors and communities in order to better mobilise resources and expertise and find practical new solutions to the problems we face.

Wales Office

Wales Office: Brexit

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the (a) number of officials to be employed by his Department and (b) his Department's payroll in (i) 2018, (ii) 2019, (iii) 2020, (iv) 2021 and (v) 2022 as a result of the UK leaving EU.

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, with reference to the oral contribution of the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union to the House of Lords European Union Committee on 31 October, how many civil servants his Department has (a) recruited and (b) expects to recruit to work on the UK's leaving the EU.

Guto Bebb: EU Exit is an all-of-government operation. The Department for Exiting the European Union is doing detailed work with departments to prepare for the upcoming negotiations by understanding the risks and opportunities of leaving the EU and coordinating planning. Staff in the Office’s constitution and policy teams lead on providing advice to Ministers on EU Exit and exit-related issues. Members of staff across the department also provide advice and analysis on EU Exit issues as required. Given the interactions between EU exit work and the Office’s other priorities, it would not be possible to give an accurate figure.

European Investment Bank: Wales

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the ability of organisations in Wales to secure low-cost, long- term and large-scale loans once European Investment Bank loans are no longer available.

Alun Cairns: The European Investment Bank (EIB) is one of a number of lenders to UK projects. The long-term relationship between the UK and the EIB will need to be resolved as part of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. It may be mutually beneficial to maintain a relationship between the UK and the EIB after we leave the EU. The Government is looking to explore this as part of the negotiations with the European Union. Much of the UK’s infrastructure is privately financed and delivered, including in Wales, and our priority is to ensure that good projects continue to be able to raise the finance they need.

Wales Office: Brexit

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2017 to Question 114746 and the Answer of 20 November to Question 11334, if he will deposit in the Library a list of the documents his Department provided for the formulation of plans in the event that no deal is reached between the UK and the EU before the UK leaves the EU.

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will place in the Library the full list of documents on planning for leaving the EU that have been sent from  his Department to (a) the Joint Ministerial Committee and (b) the European Union Exit and Trade Committee and its sub-committees.

Alun Cairns: As I have set out in previous answers, while the Department for Exiting the European Union has responsibility for overseeing preparations for the withdrawal of the UK from the EU and conducting these withdrawal negotiations in support of the Prime Minister, the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales work closely with them and other Government departments on all issues relating to EU Exit. Therefore, to ensure Welsh interests are properly represented my Department contributes to policy development as plans progress across government.

Brexit: Wales

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2017 to Question 114746, what specific issues he discussed with the Welsh Government, other than at the Joint Ministerial Committee, on the UK leaving the EU in the last six months.

Alun Cairns: Discussions have covered a very wide range of issues related to the UK’s exit from the European Union, including, but not limited to, trade, citizens’ rights, and the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill.

Department of Health

Huntington's Disease

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been diagnosed with Huntington's Disease in each of the last five years.

Jackie Doyle-Price: ‘Finished Admission Episodes’ data show that in the financial year of 2012-13 221 patients received a primary diagnosis of Huntington disease. In the following years 261 (2013-14), 285 (2014-15), 264 (2015-16) and 249 (2016-17) patients, respectively, received a primary diagnosis of Huntington disease.

Thyroid Gland: Medical Treatments

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the availability of new medications to treat people with thyroid conditions on the NHS.

Steve Brine: A search of the Department’s Ministerial correspondence database has not identified any correspondence received since November 2016 about the availability of new medications to treat people with thyroid conditions on the National Health Service. This figure represents correspondence received by the Department’s Ministerial correspondence unit only.

Prostate Cancer: Medical Treatments

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for new genetic technology to be introduced to target prostate cancer treatment on the NHS.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Prostate cancer is one of the cancers included in the 100,000 Genomes project. Researchers analyse the genetic information through the Genomics England Clinical Interpretation Partnership. The 100,000 Genomes Project has to date completed 5,356 whole genome sequences of cancer samples, including prostate cancer. This is leading to the development of new and more personalised diagnostic pathways that will support future research, clinical trials and diagnostic treatment pathways and medicines. Research results will inform the development of a National Health Service-wide Genomic Medicine Service that maximises the opportunity for research insights to improve outcome of patients, among others, cancer patients including prostate cancer sufferers.

Strokes: Health Services

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to the NHS was of after care for stroke patients for (a) physiotherapy treatment, (b) mobility aids and (c) respite care in each of the last five years.

Steve Brine: This information is not held centrally.

Medicine: Research

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how he plans to ensure that (a) the amount of funding for publicly-funded medical research and development is publicly available and (b) medicine developed from that public research is accessible and affordable.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Department funds medical research and development through the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) which provides support for the development of new drugs and treatments, primarily through its investment in early translational research infrastructure in the National Health Service and through a range of research funding programmes. NIHR awards research funding on a competitive basis. All calls for applications to access NIHR funding are published on publically accessible websites and include funding envelopes available for the call. NIHR also publishes in its annual report details of its annual spend on research broken down into a number of categories. NIHR supported research generates high quality evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of medicines for the NHS and public health services, including informing the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance. The results of NIHR supported research are made available publically. For example, the NIHR is the world’s first health research funder to publish comprehensive accounts of its commissioned research within its own publicly and permanently available journal series. Furthermore, the NIHR Dissemination Centre publishes accessible, timely summaries of the most relevant and important research in its 'Signals' series on a weekly basis and other regular reviews of recent, relevant research on key themes. There is no explicit link between the terms of NIHR research awards and the price the NHS pays for medicines. NICE assess important new medicines through a robust evaluation process, which ensures they are priced in a manner that is cost-effective for the value they provide to patients and to the NHS. The costs and source of financial support in developing medicines is not a relevant part of this assessment, and there are no plans to include this.

Dementia: Drugs

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the royal colleges on the use of blood thinners to reduce the occurrence of dementia.

Jackie Doyle-Price: There have been no discussions between the Secretary of State for Health and Royal Colleges on the use of blood thinners to reduce the occurrence of dementia.

Cholesterol

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were diagnosed with poor cholesterol levels in the last 12 months.

Steve Brine: Data on the number of people with high cholesterol levels are not centrally collected.

Epilepsy: Complementary Medicine

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the royal colleges on the use of turmeric oil to reduce the occurrence of epileptic fits.

Steve Brine: No discussions have taken place.

Multiple Sclerosis: Medical Treatments

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the availability of new medications to alleviate the condition of people with MS on the NHS.

Steve Brine: A search of the Department’s Ministerial correspondence database has identified four items of correspondence received since November 2016 about the availability of new medications to alleviate the condition of people with multiple sclerosis on the National Health Service. This figure represents correspondence received by the Department’s Ministerial correspondence unit only. There have also been two Lords Written Parliamentary Questions. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently developing guidance on the use of cladribine for treating multiple sclerosis and expects to publish final guidance on 6 December.

Health Education: Proteins

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has issued guidance on the risks of high protein food intake.

Steve Brine: In 1991 the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy (COMA), the predecessor to Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), recommended Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNI) for protein for children and adults. These were set to meet the needs of 97.5% of the population. COMA also advised that it was prudent for adults to avoid protein intakes of more than twice the RNI. Since then the Government has not issued any guidance on the risks of high protein food intake. The SACN advises United Kingdom Government on nutrition matters. The SACN has not been asked for advice on, nor undertaken a risk assessment of high protein intakes and has no plans to do so.

Alcoholism: Older People

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduced alcohol addiction amongst people aged over 50 years old.

Steve Brine: Local authorities are responsible for commissioning effective drug and alcohol prevention and treatment services based on an assessment of local need. Public Health England (PHE) supports local authorities in this work, by providing bespoke data, value for money tools, topical briefings, and advice on good practice to help local authorities meet the needs of their local population, including older people. PHE is engaged in a series of work programmes which aim to reduce the incidence of substance addiction and help provide support to older people, such as advocating the national roll out of an alcohol misuse screening question that has been part of the NHS Health Check since 2013. The NHS Health Check is offered to around 3 million 40-74 year olds per year. In addition, the UK Chief Medical Officers have produced new low risk drinking guidelines which provide the public with the latest information about the health risks of different levels and patterns of drinking. The guidelines enable people to make informed choices about their drinking. The guidelines are available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-consumption-advice-on-low-risk-drinking

Baby Care Units

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to recommendation 11 on page 41 in the report by Bliss, Hanging in the Balance, published in 2015, what progress his Department has made towards ensuring that all parents and staff on neonatal units have access to psychological support in line with national standards.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health included a specific recommendation for NHS England to improve perinatal services. The aim is that by 2020/21, there will be increased access to specialist perinatal mental health support in all areas in England, in the community or in-patient mother and baby units, allowing at least an additional 30,000 women each year to receive evidence based treatment, closer to home, when they need it. The Department and NHS England have committed a total investment from 2015/16 to 2020/21 of £365 million to support this expanded service. For National Health Service staff, NHS England launched a £5 million programme of health and wellbeing support in 2015, which included measures to help staff deal with stress and mental ill health.

Baby Care Units

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the finding in the report by Bliss, Hanging in the Balance, published in 2015 that there is a shortage of nurses, doctors and other professionals that are needed to deliver safe and high-quality care to premature and sick babies, what steps his Department has taken towards tackling that shortage.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Neonatal Critical Care Clinical Reference Group is carrying out a neonatal care review under the auspices of the National Maternity Transformation Programme. The reference group has been tasked with looking at the best model of care for neonatal services, including the focus on workforce and staffing. A draft report will be consulted upon before being finalised. The findings and recommendations from the neonatal critical care review will be used by Local Maternity Systems to develop and deliver local plans to reduce the variation in neonatal outcomes and provide for stronger models of networked care to deliver optimal perinatal and neonatal care.

Care Homes: Fees and Charges

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether private nursing homes are required to disclose nursing care costs in the contracts of people receiving care packages.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Department is unable to comment on the specific contracts between individuals and care providers, or on individual cases. On 30 November 2017, the Competition and Markets Authority published a market study into care homes, which included findings and recommendations about the transparency of costs and contracts. The full study is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/care-homes-market-studyThe Government take seriously the findings and the recommendations of this report, all of which will need to be carefully considered. The Government is committed to publish a formal response to the Competition and Markets Authority report within 90 days. We will also need to take forward these complex issues raised by the Competition and Markets Authority as part of the Green Paper on adult social care which will be published in summer 2018.

Fentanyl

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the pain management of cancer and palliative care patients will not be affected by proposals to restrict the prescription of fentanyl.

Steve Brine: NHS England held a three month consultation between July and October 2017 on draft guidance for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) on a range of ‘items that should not routinely be prescribed in primary care’. This included immediate release fentanyl. At the end of November, the NHS England Board considered the responses received and evidence submitted during the three month public consultation, which closed on 21 October, and the content of final statutory guidance to CCGs. The three recommendations covering immediate release fentanyl which have been agreed are: - Advise CCGs that prescribers in primary care should not initiate immediate release fentanyl for any new patient;- Advise CCGs to support prescribers in deprescribing immediate release fentanyl in all patients and, where appropriate, ensure the availability of relevant services to facilitate this change; and- Advise CCGs that if, in exceptional circumstances, there is a clinical need for immediate release fentanyl to be prescribed in primary care, this should be undertaken in a cooperation arrangement with a multi-disciplinary team and/or other healthcare professional. However, these recommendations do not apply to patients undergoing palliative care treatment and where the recommendation to use immediate release fentanyl in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, has been made by a multidisciplinary team and/or other healthcare professional with a recognised specialism in palliative care. ‘Items which should not be routinely prescribed in primary care: Guidance for CCGs’ has now been published and more information can be found here:https://www.england.nhs.uk/medicines/items-which-should-not-be-routinely-prescribed/

Fentanyl

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which (a) cancer and (b) palliative care specialists were consulted on the development of NHS England proposals to restrict the prescription of fentanyl for cancer and palliative care patients.

Steve Brine: A number of engagement meetings and events were held during the consultation to ensure that health professionals, patients, their families and carers had an opportunity to share their views and expertise on the proposals. This included two targeted meetings about immediate release fentanyl with health professionals, charities and patient groups from end of life care and chronic pain networks. A round table briefing session for hon. Members, Lords and researchers was also held on 11 October where clear views were heard on this matter from parliamentarians, including Baroness Finlay, a palliative care specialist. A number of responses were also received from specialist organisations in this field including: Marie Curie, local palliative and end of life care managed clinical networks, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Hospice UK and Leukaemia Care.

Department of Health: Telephone Services

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November to Question 111480, on Department of Health: Telephone Services, whether that Answer also applies to his Department's arm's-length bodies.

Mr Philip Dunne: This answer applies to all the Department’s arm’s length bodies except for Public Health England.

Four Seasons Health Care

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contingency plans his Department has for the possibility of a collapse of the Four Seasons care home operator.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) continues to monitor the situation with Four Seasons Healthcare Group through the Market Oversight scheme. Market Oversight is a statutory scheme, as set out in the Care Act 2014, through which the CQC assesses the financial sustainability of those care organisation that local authorities may find difficult to replace should they fail and become unable to carry on delivering services. The Care Act 2014 places temporary duties on local authorities to intervene to protect individuals where a care provider is no longer able to carry on because of business failure and services cease. In 2015, Local Government Implementation Unit, Local Government Association, Association Directors of Adult Social Services and the Department published guidance to local authorities on contingency planning for provider failure. The Government is continuing to work with local authorities to ensure they have effective and up-to-date contingency plans in place.

General Practitioners

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to increase capacity in general practice in (a) Mid Sussex constituency,  (b) West Sussex and (c) England.

Steve Brine: The General Practice Forward View set out a package of investment in general practice, including reforms to increase capacity, such as recruitment and retention initiatives, extended access and the Time for Care programme. By 2020, the Government has committed to 5,000 additional doctors in general practice and 5,000 other staff in general practice; and by March 2019 everyone having improved access to general practitioner (GP) services, including sufficient routine appointments at evenings and weekends to meet locally determined demand. In West Sussex and Mid Sussex, the clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have opened GP access hubs in East Grinstead, Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath, Crawley and Horsham to provide additional appointments in primary care. Horsham and Mid Sussex CCG is exploring alternative skill mix in primary care to deliver additional capacity and are piloting paramedic practitioners in each town from January 2018. It has also applied to be part of a national programme for international recruitment of GPs.

General Practitioners: Insurance

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the new NHS Indemnity cover for GPs will be extended to GPs working or willing to work for the NHS, who despite being cleared by the GMC and the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service had been declined indemnity by the traditional three indemnity organisations.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Secretary of State announced on 12 October 2017 that the Government is planning to develop a state-backed indemnity scheme for general practice in England, subject to further work on relevant issues. We envisage the scheme would provide clinical negligence cover to providers of general practitioner (GP) services (e.g. GP contractors out-of-hours providers of GP services) through which the activities of individual GPs would be covered from the point the scheme is established. It would be available to all contractors who provide primary medical services: General Medical Services, Primary Medical Service and Alternative Provider Medical Services plus any other integrated urgent care delivered through NHS Standard Contracts. The cover would include the activities of practice staff including other medical professionals working for the practice in the provision of these contracted services, and students/trainees working in this area. Decisions have yet to be made about inclusion of doctors working in other public sector settings including prisons and the Ministry of Defence. We are working with GPs and their representatives, other providers of primary medical services and practice staff to develop the scheme and its scope so as to work best for general practice, and for patients.

General Practitioners

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if NHS England has a mechanism to investigate and retrieve funds paid to GP practices that claimed high Quality and Outcome Framework (QOF) achievement scores, where CQC Inspectors have subsequently found the scores of those practices were lacking Integrity.

Steve Brine: Commissioners are required under the General Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlements Directions 2013 to ensure that all Quality and Outcome Framework (QOF) payments claimed and made are based on accurate and reliable information. In the event this is untrue, then the Commissioner may withhold payment of all or part of an Achievement Payment that is otherwise payable. QOF guidance also sets out the verification process in relation to QOF payments, including any requirements in relation to post payment verification. In relation to an unfavourable Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection, Commissioners would be expected to follow the processes set out in NHS England’s published Framework for responding to CQC inspections of general practitioner practices. The Commissioner may recover the money paid by deducting an equivalent amount from any payment payable, and where no such deduction can be made; the contractor must pay that equivalent amount.

General Practitioners: Fees and Charges

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2017 to Question 108735, on general practitioners: fees and charges, if he will place the terms of reference for the joint working party comprising NHS England, NHS Property Services and Community Health Partnerships in the Library.

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2017 to Question 108735, on general practitioners: fees and charges, if he will place the minutes of meetings of the joint working party comprising NHS England, NHS Property Services and Community Health Partnerships in the Library.

Mr Philip Dunne: There are no formal terms of reference or meeting minutes for the working group, but the main aim of the group is to work collaboratively to achieve a shared understanding of the issues behind the increasing levels of debt owed to the Department-owned property companies by general practices, including overdue practice service charges, and to take steps to address those issues.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2017 to Question 108736, what criteria was used by his Department in approving the decision to relocate the main premises of NHS Property Services in London.

Mr Philip Dunne: The options appraisal was compiled in the first instance by NHS Property Services, following their exploration of the various suitable rental options. The options appraisal was value for money based, and various co-location-related benefits were considered along with the rental and other property holding costs of the options.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2017 to Question 108736, if he will place, after redaction of any commercially confidential information, the full value-for-money options appraisal to relocate the main premises of NHS Property Services in London in the Library.

Mr Philip Dunne: There was a full options appraisal undertaken by NHS Property Services for its Board and the main factors were also considered by the Department. The full appraisal was heavily reliant on commercially sensitive information, for example the financial and commercial lease terms of potential landlords, therefore it is inappropriate to provide it. However, the key components of the appraisal can be summarised as follows: NHS Property Services occupied six buildings across central London and was required to relocate from two buildings to free up space for other public sector occupiers, additionally leases were due to expire on others. Moves were therefore necessary and it was recognised that there could be operational efficiencies derived from accommodating all of NHS Property Services’ London staff in a single location. There were however no options available within DH, NHS and the wider public estate that were able to accommodate all NHS Property Services staff so the Company looked at other options. A variety of other options were assessed. Rents in the West End, Victoria and Mid Town were considerably higher than the chosen location, whilst rents in areas such as King’s Cross, London Bridge and the South Bank were comparable to the chosen option in the City. In the end, the current Gresham Street option in the City was selected.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2017 to Question 108609, when the shareholder's high level objectives for NHS Property Services were agreed; and what consultation process was undertaken before that agreement was reached.

Mr Philip Dunne: The high level objectives for NHS Property Services Ltd can be broadly summarised as: - The provision of a high quality property service and the achievement of significant efficiency savings; and - Timely and value for money disposals of assets declared surplus by the National Health Service to release capital for investment for the benefit of frontline NHS services. These were arrived at with reference to its function as a publicly owned national provider of property to accommodate NHS services. Additionally, every year these high-level objectives are converted into agreed operating targets for the Company based on the Company’s aggregations of local needs and opportunities. It is also based on a national level assessment as to for example, the required level of cash released from property sales to fund maintenance and improvement of properties.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2017 to Question 108609, whether the consideration of the shareholder's high level objectives for NHS Property Services took into account the development of sustainability and transformation partnerships.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS Property Services Ltd is a Company serving all of England, with in total over 3,000 properties. Objectives and targets are set for the Company by the Department with reference to the national scale of its portfolio and functions, however the Company cannot achieve its national objectives without delivering effectively in the localities where its buildings are situated. It is local National Health Service budgets that ultimately fund the costs of the properties and services provided by NHS Property Services. Local NHS organisations are responsible for the production of sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs), not NHS Property Services, however NHS Property Services’ teams will support the delivery of STPs where there is an estate-related requirement, and of course as long as any additional costs can be funded.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference paragraph 1.9 of the memorandum to the Health Committee from the National Audit Office on the investigation into NHS Property Services, published in March 2014, if he will place in the Library a copy of the long-term strategy for NHS Property Services Limited.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Department is currently considering its response to the Naylor report which made a number of recommendations regarding NHS Property Services. The Department’s response to the Naylor report will be published in due course.

Medicine: Research

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on aiding medical research using NHS data gathering.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Government is committed to ensuring the health and care system in England realises the full benefits of sharing data in a safe, secure and legal way and is developing a simple, accessible way for patients to opt out of sharing their data for reasons other than their individual care and treatment. Recognising that sharing information and data offers immense potential to improve the National Health Service and social care system, unlock new treatments and medical breakthroughs, and improve our and others lives, we are keen to ensure these benefits are understood by the public. It is crucial, if data and information is to be used effectively to support better health and care outcomes that the public has trust and confidence that there are strong safeguards in place to protect their data from inappropriate use. The Government has committed to put the role of the National Data Guardian on a statutory footing. This function will work to ensure that citizens’ confidential information is safeguarded securely whilst being used legally and transparently. The Government is also committed to supporting innovation and improvement through the safe and secure use of data from the health and care system. NHS Digital is the trusted national provider of high-quality information, data and IT systems for health and social care, with a statutory duty in the Health and Social Care Act 2012, to assure the quality of all the data it collects, publishes and makes available, under strict controls, to the research community. At present a wide range of data are collected from the NHS to support a range of secondary uses including within the research community. Recognising the value and importance of this data, NHS Digital has made a number of commitments to the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy. These include leading, alongside NHS England and Health Data Research UK, the development of Local Care Record exemplars and regional Digital Innovation hubs. The hubs will create controlled environments for real-world clinical studies and the comprehensive evaluation of new innovations so that patients can benefit from scientific breakthroughs much faster. In addition, NHS Digital has set out national standards and approaches for data and interoperability and sponsors the Professional Records Standards Body to define the standards needed for good care records which are the foundation of strong data for research. To support researchers understanding of the data access environment, NHS Digital is also rolling out a series of Roadshows for Researchers which will take place throughout the winter.

NHS: Reorganisation

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has plans to introduce Accountable Care Organisations within the NHS.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to introduce Accountable Care Organisations within the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Brine: NHS England recently published a draft Accountable Care Organisations (ACO) contract. This contract is a variant of the NHS Standard Contract and is designed to assist local commissioners to commission an integrated package of primary medical services and other health (and possibly social care) services for a defined population from a single lead provider referred to as an ACO. An ACO is “introduced” only by the award of such a contract. It will always be for local commissioners to determine how to best deliver services to meet local needs. It is right that decisions on configuration are made by the local National Health Service, who can best assess how to meet the needs of people in their area. For any significant system reconfiguration, we expect all local parts of the system to be talking to the public and stakeholders regularly — it is vital that people can shape the future of their local services.

Cochlear Implants

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to debate of 24 March 2017, HC Deb Volume 623, col 1111, on cochlear implantation, what progress his Department has made on finalising new proposals from NICE on cochlear implants.

Steve Brine: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recently received a significant amount of information regarding its published technology appraisal guidance on cochlear implants and as a result it needs to conduct a more in-depth consideration which has resulted in a delay. NICE is in the process of analysing the evidence and aims to go out to consultation on a Review Proposal in early 2018. The Review decision will be published after the consultation.

Music Therapy

Iain Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the efficacy of music therapy as a treatment, and whether he plans to extend its availability on the NHS.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has considered the contribution that music therapy can make as a treatment, and has made recommendations relating to its use in a number of clinical guidelines, including those on psychosis and schizophrenia in children and young people, and on supporting people with dementia.

Heart Diseases: Young People

Sir Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the prevalence of young sudden cardiac death in England.

Steve Brine: The Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes Strategy was published in 2013. This highlighted the importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and availability of Public Access Defibrillators (PADs). The Community Resuscitation Steering Group, chaired by the National Clinical Director for Heart Disease at NHS England, has since encouraged campaigns to increase awareness of CPR and availability of PADs. In order to further support the National Health Service and local communities, the Government provided £2 million to make public access defibrillators more widely available and to increase the numbers of people trained in CPR.

Heart Diseases: Young People

Sir Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to promote and develop heart-screening programmes in England, and what research his Department is funding on reduction of the prevalence of young sudden cardiac death.

Steve Brine: Both the Fetal Anomaly and the Newborn and Infant Physical Examination screening programme offer heart screening to detect abnormalities early, however not all abnormalities can be identified. In 2015 the UK National Screening Committee reviewed the evidence for screening for major causes of sudden cardiac death in young people between the ages of 12 to 39 and recommended that screening should not be offered. The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including young sudden cardiac death; it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. In all disease areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity. The NIHR does not currently fund any research on reducing the prevalence of young sudden cardiac death.

Cardiac Risk in the Young

Sir Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contact his Department has made with the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young; and how his Department is supporting that charity.

Steve Brine: The Department is in regular dialogue with organisations concerned with the health and wellbeing of those with, and at risk of, heart conditions. Cardiac Risk in the Young is a registered stakeholder of the UK National Screening Committee and has actively taken part in consultations as well as stakeholder events. The Department is aware of the important work that the charity does to reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac deaths, particularly in their funding of clinical and pathology research.

Animal Experiments

Sir Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department has received on animal modellers’ use of reductionism for medicinal tests.

Steve Brine: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the competent authority responsible for issuing marketing authorisations (product licences) and approving clinical trial authorisation applications for medicinal products in the United Kingdom, already encourages the development and use of newer tests and alternatives to animal tests. There are ongoing discussions about newer technologies involving alternatives to animals and these are being embraced by industry and regulators. However, it does take time for these methods to become adequately validated, established and accepted worldwide.

Analgesics: Addictions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to raise awareness of prescription painkiller addiction.

Steve Brine: The Government takes seriously the issue of addiction to prescription medicines. People who feel that they might be dependent on either prescribed or over the counter medicines should seek help from a health professional in the first instance (such as a general practitioner or pharmacist). Help and advice is also available from, for example, the 111 helpline or the on-line NHS Choices service. Public Health England has been involved in a range of work to raise awareness of addiction to medicines, including: - Providing advice and data for commissioners on treating dependence on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, such as the guide for National Health Service and local authority commissioners available at: http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/pheatmcommissioningguide.pdf - Outlining an option for sustainability and transformation partnerships to consider reviewing prescriptions of medicines liable to dependence within primary care, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-health-and-care-planning-menu-of-preventative-interventions - Supporting the recent update to the drug treatment clinical guidelines, which offers new guidance to clinicians treating people with drug problems including the misuse of prescribed and over-the-counter medicines. The guidelines can be downloaded at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drug-misuse-and-dependence-uk-guidelines-on-clinical-management - Producing advice with NHS England for prescribers on the risks of the misuse of pregabalin and gabapentin. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pregabalin-and-gabapentin-advice-for-prescribers-on-the-risk-of-misuse.

Food: Hygiene

Sir David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to introduce the compulsory display of food hygiene ratings for shops and restaurants.

Sir David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to introduce the compulsory display of food hygiene ratings for online food ordering platforms.

Sir David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what evidence his Department has received from the Food Standards Agency on the effect on public health of the mandatory display of hygiene scores at food outlets in Wales.

Steve Brine: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) considers that the mandatory display of food hygiene ratings in England would be beneficial and is using the evidence from Wales and Northern Ireland to build a strong case. The FSA is exploring how a statutory scheme could be delivered in England, including display of ratings on online food ordering platforms, as part of their work to deliver a new model of regulation for food businesses – the Regulating Our Future programme, which is expected to have changes to the regulatory system in place by 2020. The Regulating Our Future programme is redesigning how food businesses are regulated for food safety, and as hygiene ratings are currently based on local authority inspections of food businesses it is important that the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is part of those considerations. Embedding FHRS into the future model of food regulation will ensure we have a robust and credible scheme that continues to deliver benefits for consumers As a result of further regulation under the statutory scheme in Northern Ireland, it is anticipated that next year businesses which offer on-line ordering of food will need to publish their ratings online so that they can be seen before an order is placed. Wales is also considering introducing further regulations to require the promotion of food hygiene ratings on food businesses’ websites. The FSA remains committed to the successful and trusted FHRS. The FSA will continue to ensure the FHRS is sustainable and work towards the introduction of a statutory scheme that would require mandatory display of ratings in England as is the case in Wales and Northern Ireland. The Government will consider the case carefully once it is available.

Health Services: Children

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to change the amount of public funding allocated to the non-NHS providers for children's health services; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 October 2017 to Question 107392. Clinical commissioning groups have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local population. Any decision about use of the private sector is for local commissioners. We are clear that patients should be able to access the best possible treatments based on quality of care rather than the type of provider.

Suicide: Young People

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to reduce the number of suicides among young people; and what discussions he has had with mental health trusts on that matter.

Jackie Doyle-Price: We updated the Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy earlier this year to strengthen delivery of its key areas for action which includes tailoring approaches to improve the mental health of specific groups such as children and young people. We expanded the scope of the Suicide Prevention Strategy to address self-harm as an issue in its own right and one that predominantly affects young people under 25. The Government is investing £1.4 billion up to 2020 to improve mental health services for children and young people, including eating disorders. We remain committed to implementing the vision set out in Future in Mind and we will publish a joint health and education green paper on children and young people’s mental health very soon to set out how we will improve early intervention and prevention of mental ill health across the system. The Department of Health and Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport continue to work together to address the impact of the internet and social media on the mental health of children and young people to both protect young people online and to harness the benefits online platforms can bring in supporting young people to maintain good mental wellbeing. This includes working with online providers to improve safety and to tackle harmful content online. We are ensuring that every local area will have a multi-agency suicide prevention plan in place by the end of the year which means all local services, including voluntary and charitable sector organisations, are working together to implement tailored approaches to reducing suicides in their communities. We published guidance to local authorities to set out how local suicide prevention plans should drive national policy locally which includes addressing the key areas for action in the national strategy. We continue to fund, in partnership with the Samaritans, the National Suicide Prevention Alliance which brings together a wide range of suicide prevention organisations in the voluntary and charitable sector to support delivery of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. The Alliance includes organisations that work specifically with children and young people to prevention suicide and self-harm. Departmental Ministers meet and work with a wide range of organisations across public health, the NHS and social care to progress the ambition to reduce the number of suicides in England by 10% by 2020/21. My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health recently spoke at the launch of the Zero Suicide Alliance which is a partnership between Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and organisations in the voluntary and charitable sector to raise suicide prevention awareness across the system and aims to train 1 million people in suicide prevention.

North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group

Mr Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the level of funding was, per patient, for North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Mr Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the mean level of funding was, per patient, for each English Clinical Commissioning Group in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS England’s published clinical commissioning group (CCG) allocation figures are published, and accessible via the link below. Per capita allocations are found in column nine, and figures from the last financial year – 2016-17 – begin on page one. Data for North Tyneside CCG can also be found on this page. These figures are as published when allocations were updated in January 2016, and thus do not include any adjustments that may subsequently have been made locally. It should be noted that these figures relate to funding for core CCG services only; they do not, for example, include primary medical care.https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ccg-allocations.pdf

North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group

Mr Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on legal advice by North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group in each of the last three years.

Mr Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent by North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group on the formal process entered into in January 2017 to secure a new provider for urgent care services in North Tyneside.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS England advises that NHS North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCGs) spending on legal advice since 2014/15 is as follows: 2014/15 £9,8262015/16 £49,0642016/17 £40,8372017/18 £40,692 (year-to-date, up to end of October 2017, month seven) Please note that legal costs listed include all costs incurred as a result of direct patient care, and do not just relate to advice in respect of organisations or contracts. The year-to-date figure for 2017/18 includes £17,281 in respect of the CCG’s response to the legal challenge to the urgent care procurement process earlier this year, and £1,281 in relation to the new urgent care work which is currently underway. There are no further costs associated with the urgent care procurement process, as this work is carried out by officers of the CCG and North of England Commissioning Support as part of their normal work.

Pregnancy: Screening

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the number of occasions when an unborn baby was diagnosed as having a disability and was subsequently born without that disability in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what counselling is offered to pregnant women expecting a child with a disability; when the quality and content of that counselling was last evaluated; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that women who know they are expecting a child with disability have access to accurate information about the experiences of families who have raised a child with disability.

Mr Philip Dunne: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 29 November 2017 to Questions 114827, 114828 and 114836.

Pregnancy: Screening

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pregnant women expecting a child with a disability subsequently (a) had an abortion and (b) continued with the pregnancy in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Department collects and publishes statistics for the number of abortions that are carried out under the statutory ground E (risk that the child would be born ‘seriously handicapped’). This data is published in tables 9a-c of the 2016 abortion statistics in England and Wales:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/652083/Abortion_stats_England_Wales_2016.pdfPublic Health England collects data on congenital anomalies as part of the national congenital anomaly and rare disease registration service. Information on the timing of diagnosis and outcome is published in chapter 2 of the Congenital anomaly statistics 2015:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/630736/Congenital_anomaly_statistics_2015.pdf

Abortion

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many abortions were performed under the Abortion Act 1967 as amended by s.37 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 in cases where the unborn child had a cleft (a) palate and (b) lip by (i) grounds of abortion, (ii) length of gestation and (iii) relevant health authority in each of the last 15 years.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Data on cleft palate and cleft lip are not identifiable separately within the abortion statistics. Information on the combined number of legal abortions under Ground E for primary medical reason of cleft lip and palate, by gestation, for residents of England and Wales is set out in the following table:  Cleft lip and Cleft palateYearAll gestationsGestation 24 weeks and above20022020036020043020055120062020070020082020093020107020114020124020139020141002015110201690 The Department holds abortion data by clinical commissioning group (CCG) and local authority (LA), rather than by Health Authority. Data for cleft lip and palate has not been released broken down by either CCG or LA due to the disclosive nature of the data as there are small numbers in each area.

Health Visitors: Children

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the ratio of health visitors to children is in each local authority area.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Data on the ratio of health visitors to children in each local authority area is not collected. No national guidelines exist for size or ratio of health visitor caseloads as these will vary considerably over time and location in order to meet local circumstances, complexity of intervention and the needs of each individual family.

Streptococcus

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to encourage NHS Trusts to update their local guidelines as a result of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' September 2017 update to their clinical Green-Top guidelines on Group B Streptococcus; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: All those involved in commissioning or providing maternity services are expected to be fully aware of the importance of having regard to the most current clinical standards, and that trusts’ local guidance is amended accordingly through internal governance procedures.

Secure Psychiatric Units: Domestic Visits

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 13 November and 24 November to Questions 111757 and 114731, on Secure Psychiatric Units: Domestic Visits, for what reasons the information is not held.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 13 November and 24 November to Questions 111757 and 114731, on Secure Psychiatric Units: Domestic Visits, for what reasons the Department does not hold information on the date and location of a visit made by the Secretary of State.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 13 November and 24 November to Questions 111757 and 114731, on Secure Psychiatric Units: Domestic Visits, in what format the data requested is held.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 13 November and 24 November to Questions 111757 and 114731, on Secure Psychiatric Units: Domestic Visits, for what reason the Answers given differ.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Department holds information on the trusts visited by the Secretary of State. However the Department does not retain this information to the level of specific wards. The Department aims to respond to all parliamentary questions as openly and transparently as possible. As information on specific wards visited is not retained the answer to Question 111757 was accurate. The number of mental health related visits was provided in the response to Question 114731 to provide a more helpful and transparent response.

Drugs: Innovation

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to encourage greater collaboration between investment in life sciences and innovative medicines in the NHS.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Life Sciences Industrial Strategy (LSIS) set out the ambition to make the United Kingdom a global hub for clinical research and medical innovation. The Government welcomed the ambition of the LSIS, and is working in partnership with industry to deliver this through the upcoming Sector Deal. Our commitment to making a reality of the Accelerated Access Review was also set out in our publication on 3 November. Here, we committed to improving collaboration between the National Health Service and industry, and to improve the access and uptake of innovative medicines and treatments, including the ambition to accelerate patient access by up to four years.

Drugs: Research

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of decreasing NHS spending on pharmaceuticals on the attractiveness of the UK as a location for research and development.

Steve Brine: The most important attraction for companies considering investing in research in the United Kingdom is the availability of world-class scientific expertise, which is the focus of the Government’s effort to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of global research and development. There is no obvious reason why National Health Service spend on pharmaceuticals should significantly affect decisions to invest in research and development in the UK. NHS spending on pharmaceuticals has risen by 41% between 2007/08 and 2016/17.

European Medicines Agency

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on the UK's relationaship with the European Medicines Agency after the UK leaves the EU.

Steve Brine: We recognise the important role that the European Medicines Agency plays in the protection of human and animal health. In the negotiations the Government will discuss with the European Union and Member States how best to continue cooperation in the field of medicines regulation in the best interests of both the United Kingdom and the EU. The UK is fully committed to continuing the close working relationship with our European partners. Our aim is to ensure that patients in the UK and across the EU continue to be able to access the best and most innovative medicines and be assured that their safety is protected through the strongest regulatory framework and sharing of data. As the Prime Minister has stated, we want deep, broad and dynamic co-operation and in this context, the UK would like to find a way to continue to collaborate with the EU, in the interests of public health and safety.

Life Sciences

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what new opportunities will be available to the life sciences sector after the UK leaves the EU.

Jackie Doyle-Price: As shown by the exciting new industry commitments announced in a Life Sciences Sector Deal as part of the Industrial Strategy White Paper published on 27 November, the United Kingdom remains a uniquely globally attractive environment for investment, research and innovation and will continue to thrive after European Union exit.

Mortality Rates: Children

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) self-harm and (b) interpersonal violence on the overall mortality rates for children and young people aged between five and 14 in each region of England in each year for which figures are available.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Department funds the Multi-Centre Study of Self-Harm in England which collects and analyses data on self-harm across three areas in England (Derby, Manchester and Oxford) which includes studies of mortality in people who have presented at hospital for self-harm. Information about the Multi-Centre Study of Self-Harm in England’s research can be found at the following link:http://cebmh.warne.ox.ac.uk/csr/mcm/index.html

Alzheimer's Disease

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) figures which can be attributed to alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in each region of England in each year for which figures are available.

Jackie Doyle-Price: No such assessment has been made of Disability-Adjusted Life Years attributable to Alzheimer’s disease, or other forms of dementia, in each region of England.

Mortality Rates

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department holds information on the most prevalent (a) behavioural risk factors, (b) metabolic risk factors and (c) environmental risk factors associated with mortality rates for each region of England in each year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Brine: Public Health England holds time series of relevant data for each region in England dating back to 1990, available to view here:https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-compare/The contribution to mortality by main risk factors has changed little over the years. These are alcohol, smoking, and poor diet as behavioural risk factors, air pollution and occupational risks as environmental risk factors, and high blood pressure and obesity as metabolic risk factors. Regions do not greatly differ compared to each other.

Care Homes: Fees and Charges

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to provide local authorities with additional funding to meet the sustainability shortfall identified in the Competition and Market Authority's report of 30 November 2017 on the Care Home Market.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Budget in March 2017 announced an additional £2 billion to be given to councils over the next three years for social care. This additional funding means that councils have access in total to £9.25 billion more dedicated funding for social care over the next three years. One of the three key purposes of the additional funding is to assist councils in stabilising the local provider market. The Care Act 2014 placed a duty on local authorities in England to shape their local markets to ensure that they are sustainable, diverse and offer high quality care and support for people in their local area. The Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA) market study into care homes, published on 30 November 2017, raises some complex and important issues for the care home market. The Government will publish a formal response to the CMA report within 90 days and will take forward these complex issues as part of the Green Paper on adult social care which will be published in summer 2018.

Women and Equalities

Representation of the People Act 1918: Anniversaries

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how funding announced in the Spring 2017 Budget to mark the centenary of the Representation of the People Act 1918 has been allocated.

Anne Milton: In the Budget my Rt hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that £1.2 million of the centenary fund will go directly to seven Centenary Cities and towns in England with a strong suffrage history, to strengthen the reach and legacy of regional activity to inspire a new generation with this story.A further £1.5 million will be available to organisations and communities through a grants scheme. The Government Equalities Office (GEO) have appointed a grant administrator to oversee the application and award process and I will write to all Members with details of the scheme including application criteria shortly.The rest of the £5 million fund will be spent on a statue of Millicent Fawcett, to be erected in Parliament Square; on activities to increase young people’s engagement with democracy; and on activities to increase women’s engagement with political representation. GEO will announce further details in due course.

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Public Appointments

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, on what date the Government Equalities Office informed (a) the Prime Minister's Office and (b) the Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work of its decision to appoint Lord Shinkwin as a general commissioner on the Equalities and Human Rights Commission.

Nick Gibb: The Government Equalities Office (GEO) informed the Prime Minister’s Office of my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State’s decision to appoint Lord Shinkwin as a general commissioner on the day before Lord Shinkwin’s appointment on 21 April 2017. The appointment of a commissioner under Schedule 1 paragraph 2(3)(a) of the Equality Act 2006 who is or has been a disabled person does not require consultation with or consent from other parties. The GEO did not inform the then Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work, my hon. Friend for Portsmouth North, of the decision to appoint Lord Shinkwin.